mm 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


IOWA 


AND  OTHER 


PATRIOTIC  FOEMS, 


BY- 


LEONARD  BROWN. 


-§o§- 


"  There  will  be  sang  another  golden  age." 

— Bishop  Berkeley. 


-§o§- 


DES  MOIXES,    TOW  A  : 

CENTRAL  PRINTING  &  PUBLISHING  CO... 

1884. 


OBKART 

DIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 


HAVTC 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1883,  by 

LEONARD    BROWN, 
In  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress  at  Washington,  D.  C. 


CENTRAL  PRINTING  &  PUBLISHING  Co., 

PRINTERS,  Des  Monies  Iowa. 


To  the  enlightened,  patriotic  and  generous  ''Old  Set-* 
tiers,"  who  laid  the  foundation  of  Iowa's  greatness  on 
the  everlasting  granite  of  democratic  liberty  and  the 
free  common  school, — and  especially  to  the  five  hun 
dred  who  have  ordered  copies  of  this  little  volume,  in 
advance  of  its  publication ;  and  particularly  to  BAR 
LOW  GRANGER,  JAMES  CALLANAN,  J.  S.  CLARKSON, 
BUREN  R.  SHERMAN,  H.  C  HARGIS,  THOS.  MITCHELL, 
RESIN  WILKINS,  P.  M.  CASADY,  GEORGE  SNEER,  SI 
MON  CASADY,  NATHAN  ANDREWS,  J,  S.  RTJNNELLS,  C. 
D.  REINKING,  WESLEY  REDHEAD,  HOYT  SHERMAN, 
R.  T.WELLSLAGER,  M.  P.  TURNER,  T.  E.  BROWN,  J.  S. 
POLK,  P.  H.  BRISTOW,  G.  W.  BRISTOW,  C.  A.  MOSIER, 
AL  GREFE,  M.  H.  LARSH,  J.  C.  PAINTER,  JNO.  BECK- 
WITH,  E.  R.  MASON,  N.  R,  KUNTZ,  P.  Y.  CAREY, 
BRUCE  E.  JONES,  GEORGE  W.  DONNAN  and  JOHN  A. 
KASSON  for  material  assistance  in  the  present  under 
taking;  also,  to  JOHN  YOUNGERMAN,  WM.  OSBORNE, 
ABE  ASHWORTH.  L.  T.  WOMACKS,  J.  O.  MAHANA,  E. 
R.  CLAPP,  B.  F.  ALLEN,  D.  M.  BRINGOLF.  J.  H.  MC 
CLELLAND.  G.  A.  STEWART  WM,  PORTER  and  the  la 
mented  A.  S.  YORSE,  for  help  in  my  literary  ventures 
of  the  past;  and  to  J.  A.  NASH,  JAMES  SMITH,  A.  J. 
STEVENS,  J.  C,  JORDAN,  EDWARD  MCKENZ IE, GIDEON 
BURGE,  THOS.  W.  NEWMAN  (of  Burlington),  SAMUEL 
ORAY,  S.  F.  SPAFFORD,  M.  D.  MCHENRY,  WM.  H, 
MCHENRY,  P.  H.  BUZZARD.  BENJ.  BRYANT  (de 
ceased),  my  helpers  in  my  school-boy  days;  and  to  my 
friends  S.  A.  KELSEY,  N.  J.  HARRIS,  PETER  NEWCOM 
ER,  GEO.  W.  HICKMAN,  HALLETT  &  FULLER,  the 
BAYLIES  BROS.,  B  F.  BENNETT,  AUG.  SMITH,  ISAAC 
BRANDT,  H.  H.  GRIFFITHS,  ,  FRANK  NAGLE,  C.  A. 
WEAVER,  TAYLOR  PIERCE,  C.  B.  WORTHINGTON,  the 
LAIRD  BROS,  the  SKINNER  BROS.,  G,  M.  WALKER,  M. 
KAVANAUGH,  Sr.,  M.  H.  KING,  A.  CRAIG,  H.  R. 
HEATH,  S.  A.  ROBINSON,  an<l  to  all  my  well-wishers, 
the  poem  "IOWA"  (immortal,  if  but  a  faint  picture 
of  our  glorious  State),  is  gratefully  inscribed  by 

THE  AUTHOR. 


THE  POET. 


As  mighty  as  the  sun's  meridian  flame, 

Among  the  nations  glows  the  poet's  mind, 
Enlightening  and  blessing  all  mankind. 

How  few  have  lived  to  merit  his  proud  name  ! 

Thy  harp,  O  David,  vibrates  still  on  earth, 
Hymning  melodiously  Jehovah's  praise  ; 
Isaiah,  thou  thy  voice  in  song  didst  raise ; 

And  Jeremiah,  thine  the  poet's  birth. 

How  high  the  honored  calling  of  the  Bard  ; 
His  God-given  trust,  how  sacred  and  sublime! 

Freedom  and, Truth  and  Virtue's  watchful  guard — 

A  sentinel  upon  -the  tower  of  time, — 
«  Yes  Uriel  in  shining  armor  dressed, 

Immortal  honor  beaming  from  his  crest. 

July  4th,  1867. 


PREFACE. 


Part  First  of  the  poem  that  gives  title  to  this  vol 
ume  was  written  twelve  years  after  Iowa  was  admit 
ted  into  the  Union  as  a  State ;  Part  Second  the  f ol- 
f owing  i-pring,  and  Part  Third  after  an  interval  of 
twenty-two  years.  Part  First  recalls  reminiscences 
of  Iowa's  "Past,"  giving  a  view  of  Indian  life  and 
manner.-;  Part  Second  extols  her  "Present"  natural 
xesources  and  scenery;  and  Part  Third  promises  for 
Iowra  in  the  near'  "Future"  all  that  Isaiah  pictures, 
or  John  of  Patmos,  or  Virgil  in  his  Fourth  Eclogue, 
-or  Pope  in  his  Messiah. 

The  "noble  end" — the  highest  and  holiest  lessons  on 
.all  topics  vital  to  human  welfare,  can  be  reached  by 
010  "nobler  means"  than  through  the  channel  of  verse. 
This  form  of  writing,  instead  of  being  as  many  think 
artificial,  is,  on  the  contrary,  the  most  truly  natural. 
TSvery  thing  animate,  whether  plant  or  animal,  is  sym 
metrical.  A  tree  is  a  written  poem  :  its  leaves  are 
rhymes  ;  its  flowers  and  fruit,  melody  ;  and  it's  mighty 
trunk,  spreading  branches  and  towering  height,  are 
strength,  beauty  and  grandeur— all  combined  coti- 
.-stitute  true  poetry.  Every  sentient  being  is  a  poem — 
man  a  sublime  epic.  But  even  inanimate  nature  does 
not  always  want  symmetry — instance  crystals,  the 
planetary  and  stellary  globes,  drops  of  water,  the 
rainbow  and  the  plunging  cataract — and  where  is  not 
poetry  found  ?  Like  the  Infinite  One,  it  is  everywhere 
present. 

What  indeed  is  the  proper  aim  of  poetry  ?  Let  He- 
answer  who  wrote  "Works  and  Days,"  and  Vir- 


6  PREFACE. 

gil  who  wrote  the  "Georgics,"  and  Lucan  the  author 
of  "Pharsalia,"  and  Juvenal,  and  Lucretius,  and  even 
Homer,  greatest  of  all  the  ancient  poets  ;  and  let  also 
the  old  masters  of  English  song  speak  :  Dryden,  Mil 
ton,  Pope,  Thompson,  Young,  Aken^ide,  Beattie 
Burns,  and  even  Shakespeare,  greatest  of  all  poets. 
They  will  reply  :  "  Its  chief  design  [the  words  of  Dry- 
den]  is  to  instruct."  It  is  the  hand-maiden  of  Virtue, 
the  guardian  and  protector  of  Liberty. 

But,  according  to  some  canons  of  recent  criticism, 
poetry  ^as  not  as  its  aim  any  "  practical  or  material 
utility  "  "  Its  aim,"  says  a  late  author  of  a  "  Manual 
of  English  llhetoric,"  "is  not  to  communicate  knowl 
edge  or  to  influence  the  will  ;  but  only  to  represent 
products  of  creative  imagination  in  their  appropriate 
forms  in  language."  The  author  of  the  above  defini 
tion  is  not  a  poet.  No  poet  will  admit  any  such  doc 
trine  to  be  true  ;  and  Lord  Kames,  (the  greatest  wri 
ter  on  criticism  that  has^  lived  since  Qnintilian,)  says: 
"  Useful  lessons  conveyed  to  us  in  verse  are  agreeable 
by  the  union  of  music  with  instruction  ;  but,"  he 
adds,  "are  we  to  reject  knowledge  offered  in  a  plainer 
dress  ?  That  would  be  r  Idiculous ;  for  knowledge  is  of 
intrinsic  merit,  independent  of  the  means  of  acquisi 
tion  ;  and  there  are  many  not  less  capable  than  will 
ing  to  instruct  us  who  have  no  genius  for  verse." 
Here  poetry  is  given  its  proper  station  above  prose  as- 
a  means  of  education  of  mankind. 

The  good  citizen  and  true  poet  (who  must  be  a  true 
man)  can  perform  no  mere  sacred  duty  than  to  take 
an  absorbing  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his  country  and 
age.  So  has  the  humble  author  of  this  little  volume 
ever  done  (thinking  independently)  and  he  has  given 
expression  to  his  most  cherished  thoughts  with  an 
earnestness  suited  to  one  who  is  by  descent  a  Puritan, 
and  whose  great-grandsire  (he  is  proud  to  ooast) 
fought  by  the  side  of  Putnam  and  Warren  against  the 
British  at  Bunker  Hill. 


PREFACE.  7 

A  dream  of  his  in  boyhood — a  "vision  of  the  night" 
—has  been  an  inspiration  to  him  all  his  days.  He 
dreame:>.  that  he  was  in  the  same  tent  and  in  close 
companionship  with  the  "Father  of  his  Country/'  It 
would  be  offensively  egotistical  for  him  to  give  ex 
pression  here  to  the  faintest  hope  that  his  humble  ef 
forts  with  the  pen — "mightier"  (in  the  hands  of  the 
favored  of  God  and  the  good  angels)  "than  the 
sword  " — could  by  any  means  give  him  a  place  in  the 
hearts  of  his  countrymen  by  the  [side  of  Washington. 
But  if  his  success  could  equal  his  ambition,  he  would 
rescue  his  country  from  the  dreadful  condition  of  hu 
miliating  slavery  into  which  she  has  been  plunged  by 
gold-bribed  traitors,  and  he  would  place  her  feet 
again  upon  the  solid  granite'  of  freedom  and  indepen 
dence. 

Great  Britain  resolved  to  conquer  America,  she 
has  succeeded  in  fastening  upon  our  people  an  interest 
bearing  debt — bonds  and  mortgages— amounting  to- 
not  less  than  twenty  billions  of  dollars  ;  and  thus  she 
exacts  from  us  a  vastly  greater  tribute  than  from  all 
her  direct  dependencies.  Her  agents  were  sent  over 
to  prepare  the  way  for  our  enslavement.  Bonamy 
Price,  the  Oxford  professor,  travelled  extensively  here,, 
lecturing  in  our  principal  cities  and  chief  towns.  He 
spoke  in  Council  Bluffs,  Iowa,  to  the  "grangers,"  tell 
ing  them  that  "gold  is  the  only  money."  Great 
American  statesmen,  who  had  won  the  confidence  of 
our  people  during  the  civil  war— trusted  leaders  North 
and  South — were  gained  over  to  the  British  interest. 
The  friends  of  American  freedom  and  independence 
uttered  their  patriotic  protests  in  vain— unheeded  by 
the  people,  blinded  by  party  spirit,  and  hoodwinked 
by  venal  demagogues. 

This  little  volume  is  the  work  of  almost  a  life-time, 
and  the  author  will  ever  live  conscious  of  having 
striven  to  accomplish  that  which,  if  successful,  will 


S  PREFACE. 

'be  raore  to  Iowa's  honor  and  gloiy  than  even  the  new 
Capitol,  which  (to  the  disgrace  of  either  the  build 
ing  committee  or  of  theState  itself,)  is  to  be  decorated 
within  w  th  paintings  executed,  not  by  Iowa  artists, 
but  by  Italian.  Oh,  let  the  patriot  hang  down  his 
head  in  sorrow  and  shame,  and  never  turn  his  eyes  to 
look  upon  the  walls  and  ceilings  of  that  costly  build 
ing — a  monument  of  the  tax-gatherer's  rapacity  and 
the  shame  of  Iowa  genius!  Encourage  Iowa  talent 
and  leave  the  Italian  to  ply  his  vocation  of  artist  in 
Italy.  Let  the  ceilings  and  walls  of  our  public  build 
ings  exhibit  only  the  handicraft  of  Iowa  artists,  and 
let  our  public  libraries  be  filled  to  overflowing  with 
the  works  of  Iowa  authors  especially.  This  only  is 
^patriotism,  justice  ^and  right.  Encourage  Iowa  poets 
and  artists,  and  Iowa  will  outrival  very  soon,  in  this 
line  of  excellence,  Italy  and  Greece.  God  has  done 
more  for  Iowa  (the  Ipvliest  land  embraced  by  the 
grandest  rivers)  than  for  any  other  land  on  earth— let 
her  own  people  do  their  part  to  encourage  Art  and 
Literature  at  home  and  her  name  will  be  exalted.  But 
costly  theatres  are  being  erected  in  every  large  town 
in  the  State,  and  their  walls  and  ceilings  decorated 
with  all  the  gaudiness  that  money  can  purchase  or 
European  fresco  painters  can  daub  on— for  what  pur 
pose?  to  encourage  tine  art  and  literature— the  hand 
maiden  of  religion  and  morality,  for  the  education  of 
the  people?  Xo.  Money  is  the  sole  end  in  view,— 
behind  all  is  avarice.  A  display  of  the  legs  of  bra 
zen-faced  harlots  on  the  stage,  is  the  enticing  attrac 
tion  the  youth  of  Iowa  are  called  upon  to  pay  their 
money  to  see,  and  shamelessly  indecent  colloquies  to 
hear  recited.  These  schools  of  vice,  joined  with  the 
mirror-decorated  wine  and  beer  saloons  and  billiard 
halls  licensed  by  the  State,  and  houses  of  prostituton 
in  every  large  towri,winked  at  and  encouraged  by  the 
officers  cf  the  law,  have  about  supplanted  the  church 
of  our  fathers.  If  the  patriot  poet  raise  his  indig 
nant  voice  of  protest  against  these  evils  that  threaten 
the  life  of  society,  give  him,  O  reader  a  kindly  hear 
ing. 

LEOXARD  BROWX, 
DBS  MOINES,  IOWA,  Dec,  15,  1883 


CONTENTS. 


Page 

IOWA,  PART  FIRST 12 

IOWA,  PART  SECOND 41 

IOWA,    PARTlHIRD 61 

POEMS  OF  THE  PRESENT 

THE  OUTLOOK: 

PART  FIRST -THE  COMING    REFORM 95 

PART  SBCOND— THE  TRIUMPH  OF  MONOPOLY 104 

PART  THIRD— Tna:  TYRANTS  OF  THE  GOWN 116 

PART  FOURTH --THE  TRIUMPH  OF  WOMAN 131 

ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT 142 

CRIME'S  CARNIVAL  ..     KO 

THE  NEW  PARTY 158 

THE  TRUC  E 169 

BROTHEIIOOD 175 

ALBION'S  DISGK\CE 181 

THE  PATRIOT'S  CHOICE 186 

THE  COPPERHEAD 192 

LICENSE  WRONG 195 

AN  "AMENDMENT  "  SONNETT 196 

TYRANNOUS  ENGLAND 197 

FoRaWARNED 199 

CIVIL  RIGHTS 201 

GRANTISM  GAHROTED 202 

PASS  THE  HAT 204 

EPITAPHS 205 

LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON 206 

OLD  MEMORIES 218 

To    WM.  VAN  DORN 221 

To  R.  W.  STUBBS 222 

To  ROBERT  L.  CLING  AN 224 

RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT: 

SONNETS ; 227 

To  CARPING  CRITICS 240 

APPENDIX. 

PART  I— THE  VITAL  ISSUE  .. 3 

PART  II— THE  TRIUMPH  OF  LABOR 31 

PART  III— THE  RIGHTS  OF  LABOR  ..                                          .  46 


POESY. 


Is  Poesy,  then,  only  garden  flowers 

That,  cultivated  with  a  kindly  care, 

With  beauty  glow,  and  sweetly  scent  the  airy 

And  lovers  languish  in  the  leafy  bowers  ? 

Tis  might, — behold  the  dreaded  lion  cowers 
(Before  the  strong  man)  smitten  in'his  lair: 
See  the  fierce  Norman  slay  the  Russian  bear. 

'Tis  beauty  not  unlike  the  smiling  Hours  ! 

'Tis  might  and  beauty  gracefully  combined — 
See  Dian  in  the  groves  with  bow  and  quiver; 

She  slays  the  tusky  boar,  pursues  the  hind ; 
She  views  her  radiant  tresses  in  the  river  ; 

The  blameless  beauty  blesses  all  mankind — 
Yea,  God  to  man  of  Poesy's  the  giver  ! 

July,  1865, 


IOWA. 
PART  FIRST. 

(1858.) 


This  piece  (Iowa,  Part  First,)  was  written  after  vthe 
Author's  return  to  Polk  county  from  school  at  Bur 
lington,  Iowa.  He  spent  the  spring  and  summer  of 
1858  under  the  shelter  of  his  father's  humble  log-cab 
in  roof  at  Saylor's  Grove.  His  "study"  was  the  wroods, 
where  he  walked,  composing  rhymes,  until  he  made  a 
-well-beaten  path  under  the  shadow  of  beautiful  trees. 
This  composition  is,  perhaps,  the  most  polished  of 
any  of  the  Author's  verses — too  great  license  of  al 
literation  being  indulged,  as  the  reader  will  observe. 
He  took  his  pictures  of  Indian  life"  from  a  little  work 
entled  -'The  Life  of  Blackhawk." 

The  lines  of  seven  and  eight  syllables  are  after  the 
manner  of  many, English  poems  written  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  the  "  Ode  to  Solitude"  by  Gran 
ger,  and  "Grongar  Hill,"  by  Dyer,  being  examples  of 
this  style  of  versification. 


IOWA. 


PART  FIRST. 


THE  PAST. 

A  MORNING'S  MEDITATION   ON  THE   BANKS  OF  THE  DES  • 
MOINES. 

"Every  human  heart  is  human. V-LONGFELLOW. 

It  is  a  pleasant  summer  morn ; 

Gently  waves  the  growing  corn ; 

Erom  the  leafy  groves,  the  air 

Wafts  a  fragrance  everywhere  ; 

And  along  the  eastern  sky 

Lovely  sunbeams  greet  the  eye, 

That  o'er  fairy  clouds  diffuse 

Tinges  of  unnumbered  hues. 

At  length  the  Sun  himself  appears. 

Great  herald  of  revolving  years  ! 

And  smiles  as  radiant  and  young 

As  when  immortal  Ossian  sung  ! 

Thou  giver  of  the  lovely  day  ! 

From  thee  I  turn  my  face  away; 

I  cannot  for  a  moment  brook 

Thy  searching  glance  thy  piercing  look  ;. 

But  gladly  on  this  stream  I  gaze, 


14  IOWA. 

From  which  thy  ever-splendent  rays 

Have  driven  the  mists,  that  o'er  it  spread 

Dark  as  the  living  cloud  so  dread 

That  hovered  o'er  a  pleasant  land 

As  one  of  old  "stretched  out  his  hand." 

I  love  upon  these  banks  to  stray 

Thus  at  the  swe^t  approach  of  day, 

And  gazing  on  the  beautious  stream 

To  wander  in  poetic  dream. 

I  hear  a  distant  lonely  sound, 

That  carries  sadness  all  around  ! 

'Tis  of  the  ever  mournful  dove 

Sighing  for  her  absent  love. 

Here  -let  me  recline  my  head 

Pensive  on  this  mossy  bed, 

^Nearer  by  the  river  side, 

Where  waters  murmur  as  they  glide, — 

That  my  ear  may  catch  again 

The  ever  tender,  saddening  strain ; 

For  it  moving,  moaning  on 

Recalls  to  mind  the  loved  ones  gone, 

Whom  bright  angels  bore  away 

To  realms  of  everlasting  day. 

Now  there  eomes  a  deeper  moan ; 

'Tis  sadder  than  a  dying  groan! 

The  waves  are  sighing  as  they  flow, — 

Methinks  are  singing  as  they  go, 

A  mournful  melancholy  lay, — 

The  dirge  of  a  departed  day. 


IOWA.  15 

SONG  OF  THE  WAVES. 

The  dead  !     The  dead  !     The  dead  are  here  ! 

Ask  not  the  day,  ask  not  the  year, 

When  loved  ones  bore  them  on  the  bier, 

And  laid  them  lowly  in  the  ground. 

And  made  the  monumental  mound  ! 

Age  hath  followed  ages  fast ; 

The  streams  new  channels  formed  and  past, 

And  deep  through  rocks  have  worn  their  way 

Since  they  mouldered  into  clay : 

The  patriot  brave  who  thoughtful  stood 

Looking  down  upon  this  flood  ; 

His  country's  wrongs  were  in  his  breast ; 

Eye-flashing  rage  his  look  expressed, 

Revenge  resolving  on  her  foes — 

His  blood  redeemed  her  from  her  woes  ; 

Rest  thee,  O  warrior,  in  repose! 

The  lovely  maid  who  oft  of  yore 

Gathered  wild  flowers  on  this  shore, 

Strolling  in  the  happy  grove, 

Caroling  a  song  of  love  ; 

Now  bathing  in  the  limpid  waves  ; 

Now  in  the  cooling  breeze  she  laves, 

And  gazing,  like  fair  Eve,  with  pride 

In  the  pellucid  mirror-tide, 

Viewing  there  her  form  and  tace, 

All  radiant  with  every  grace, 

She  modestly  and  sweetly  smiled, — 


1 6  IOWA. 

Behold  her,  Nature's  lovely  child  ! 
She  sleeps  in  death,  lo\v  in  the  ground, 
Beneath  the  ancient  grassy  mcuild. 

And  the  Bard,  (whose  song  was  given-  — 
A  light  to  guide  from  Eurth  to  Heaven) — 
There  lies,  with  harp  beneath  his  head, 
Unstrung,  decayed  ;  its  voice  is  dead  ! 
To  all  resistless  was  its  spell, 
While  sang  the  aged  Minstrel  • 

The  sylvan  beauties  of  these  streams ; 
The  hero's  wondrous  deeds  and  dreams ; 
Love's  longing  looks,  and  soul-born  smiles; 
Her  hidden  hopes,  and  winsome  wiles. 
And  shall  its  strains  no  more  arise 
Rejoicing  to  these  western  skies, 
As  wild  birds  sing,  and  waters  flow, 
And  lovely  prairies  verdant  grow  ? 

O  stream,  hoTv  touching  is  thy  lay  ! 
And  must  great  worth  thus  find  decay,, 
And  all  man's  glory  fade  away  ? 

THE  INDIAN. 

From  thee  has  gone  the  Indian  brave; 
Nor  Sac,  nor  Fox  beholds  thy  wave ; 
And  yet  upon  thy  margin  green 
Not  long  ago  his  lodge  was  seen, 
In  its  wild,  fantastic  form, — 
An  humble  covert  from  the  storm ; 
His  trembling  maize  field  stood  hard  by ; 


IOWA.  17 

His  bean-and-melon-patch  was  nigh  ; 
His  pony  fed  upon  the  plain, — 
See  all  the  Indian  had  of  gain! 
And  well  content,  when  thus  supplied; 
His  every  want  was  satisfied; 
His  happy  heart,  with  love  of  gold, 
Had  not  begun  to  rot  or  mould ; 
The  needy  stranger  at  the  door 
Was  welcome  to  the  red  man's  store. 

I  have  often  in  delight 
Seen  the  meteor  at  night, 
With  a  glorious  display, 
Darting  hurridly  away 
Across  the  star-bespangled  sky, 
Joying  in  its  course  on  high ; 
It  soon  vanished  from  my  view, 
Buried  in  the  boundless  blue, 
Leaving  not  a  trace  behind 
Of  the  glory  it  resigned. 

The  Indian  passed  away,  and  lo ! 
What  is  left  behind  to  show 
That  he  drew  Ulysses'  bow? 
He  often  earned  immortal  fame; 
But  what  perpetuates  his  name? 
What  monument  remains  to  tell 
Where,  like  Leonidas,  he  fell? 
Many  an  unknown  field  may  be 
A  Marathon  or  Thermopylae ! 
2 


i8  IOWA. 

All  he  for  ages  said  or  did 
Must  ever  lie  in  darkness  hid ; 
Only  here  a  grassy  sod 
Marks  where  once  his  wigwam  stood, 
And  some  little  pits  remain 
That  in  winter  held  his  grain. 
The  sweet  flowing  "  Chicaqua,"  * 
And  the  bright  "Asipala,"t 
Lost  are  these  names  to  rivers  clear; 
While  the  ruder  ones  we  hear 
Ungrateful  to  the  poet's  ear! 
Still  round  the  graves,  and  o'er  the  dead 
Some  mossy  bark  and  boards  are  spread ; 
It  was  of  these  the  mourners  made 
A  little  wigwam  for  his  shade, 
To  be  for  it  a  sheltering  home, 
Until  he  o'er  the  prairie  roam, 
And,  wandering  find  the  rolling  flood, 
That  flows  this  side  the  happy  wood — 
The  ever-joyful  hunting  ground 
In  which  exhaustless  game  is  found. 
There  —  if  his  course  of  life  had  been 
Bright  and  free  from  trace  of  sin  — 
He  would  cross  the  trembling  log 
With  his  ever  faithful  dog, 
And  join  his  comrades  in  the  chase, 
And  live  in  endless  happiness; 
If  like  the  hound,  he  come  there  hoarse 
From  baying  on  a  vicious  course, 
He  cannot  reach  the  happy  wood, 
*Skunk  Elver.  tRaccoon  River. 


IOWA.  19 

But  quickly  falls  into  the  flood ; 
Then  rolling,  howling,  in  the  tide, 
He  struggles  for  the  nearest  side, — 
Every  effort  is  in  vain, 
To  reach  the  woodland  or  the  plain ; 
The  rushing  wave,  with  mighty  roar, 
Sweeps  him  to  a  barren  shore  ; — 
Degraded  there  in  poverty, 
He  finds  eternal  misery. 

Meandering  the  prairies  green 
Still  the  Indian  path  is  seen, 
Bending  over  wooded  hills, 
Crossing  sweetly  flowing  rills. 
Wandering  near  it  thoughtfully, 
Imagining  most  pleasantly, 
Rare  visions  of  the  fairest  kind, 
Came  on  bright  before  my  mind. 

A  CEREMONY. 

I  saw  a  long,  lamenting  train 
Of  women  passing  o'er  the  plain, 
Appearing  as  they  had  before 
Annually  in  days  of  yore; 
Moaning  matrons  moving  on, 
And  weeping  widows,  one  by  one ; 
Sorrowing  sisters  were  the  last 
In  the  procession  as  it  passed  — 


20  IOWA. 

So  very  sad ;  and  yet,  I  ween, 
There  never  was  a  lovelier  scene 
Than  they  presented  to  my  sight, 
Performing  this  religious  rite, 
Of  bearing  gifts,  and  proffering 
To  their  dead  an  offering; 
All  the  maidens  passed  along 
Chanting  wild  and  mournful  song. 

THE  INDIAN  MAIDS'  SONG. 

"  Again  returns  the  day  of  sadness ! 
Again  returns  the  day  of  gladness ! 
The  Great  Spirit  has  bereft  us ; 
The  Great  Spirit  has  not  left  us ; 
Friends  are  gone ;  nor  do  we  greet  them ; 
Friends  are  gone;  but  we  shall  meet  them; 
Good  Spirits  hover  o'er  us  lightly ; 
Good  Spirits  shine  above  us  brightly; 
From  the  rocks  and  caves  they  started ; 
From  the  rocks  and  caves  departed, 
When  they  heard  us  weeping,  moaning,  — 
When  they  heard  us  sighing,  groaning; 
On  their  swan-like  wings  came  fleeting; 
On  their  swan-like  wings  came  greeting  — 
Greetiug  us  ,  ana  now  are  near  us ; 
Greeting  us  with  words  to  cheer  us : 
'  Weep  no  more  ;  be  not  fearful ; 
Weep  no  more ;  be  calm  and  cheerful  — 
The  Great  Spirit  loves  you  dearly; 


IOWA.  21 

The  Great  Spirit  knows  how  nearly 
His  good  children  are  unto  him; 
His  good  children  all  shall  view  him ; 
View  him  and  dwell  with  him  ever; 
View  him  and  be  parted  ne^er; 
Never  more  shall  sigh  in  sorrow ; 
Never  more  shall  dread  the  morrow! 
Let  this,  then,  be  day  of  gladness; 
Let  it  not  be  one  of  sadness ; 
Weep  no  more;  be  not  fearful; 
Weep  no  more;  be  calm  and  cheerful' !" 

And  appearing  truly  fair, 
With  their  zephyr  combed  hair 
Flowing  over  shoulders  bare, 
And  the  dark  expressive  eye, 
Hopeful  turned  towards  the  sky,  — 
Angel  form ;  romantic  dress  ; 
They  were  queens  in  lovliness ! 
Now  all  have  reached  the  burial  place, 
And  there  I  can  more  clearly  trace 
The  deepening  of  their  wild  distress, — 
The  dead  they  mournfully  address ! 
The  mother  thus : — 

"  My  babe  so  dear  ! 
My  little  darling,  Oh,  come  near; 
Let  me  again  behold  thy  face, 
And  with  fond  kisses  thee  embrace  ! 
Something  I  see  most  lovely,  fair, 


22  IOWA. 

And  bright,  above  me  in  the  air,  — 
'T  is  sure,  't  is  sure  my  very  child  ! 
Come  nearer  still,  thou  vision  mild, 
And  never,  never  more  depart! 
Oh,  could  I  press  thee  to  my  heart ! 
Thanks,  thanks  to  Onwenah  above, 
Who  thus  would  spare  thee  in  his  love,. 
To  calm  thy  mother's  stormy  breast, 
To  give  her  wearied  spirit  rest ; 
For  now,  no  more,  no  more  I  weep  ! 
My  soul  with  rapture  glories  deep  ; 
Since  I  behold  on  wings  of  light, 
My  child  so  beautiful  and  bright ! 

The  widow :  — 

"O,  my  husband,  why, 
Why  wilt  thou  not  descend  from  high, 
And  to  my  sorrowing  soul  convey 
Of  thy  bright  joy  a  single  ray ! 
Forlon,  forlon,  I  here  must  be ! 
O  dearest,  dearest,  pity  me, 
And  take  me  once  again  to  thee ! 
Enwrap  me  in  thy  arms  once  more, 
And  on  the  bright  celestial  shore, 
Where  nothing  in  immortal  groves 
May  ever  more  distract  our  loves ! 
O  husband!  when  with  flagging  pace 
Thou  art  returning  from  the  chase, 
Oppressed  with  toil;  thy  arrows  spent; 


IOWA.  23 

Thy  back  with  fleshy  burden  bent; 
Who  now  doth  strain  her  anxious  sight 
To  see  thee  gain  the  woody  height, 
And,  when  thy  shadow  there  doth  stray, 
So  soon  is  on  her  willing  way 
To  bear  a  part  of  thy  dull  load 
And  lead  thee  to  the  fair  abode, 
Where  viands  for  thee  she  hath  blest, 
That  thou  may'st  eat  and  sweetly  rest? 
And  when  thou  liest  wrapped  .in  sleep 
Doth  o'er  thee  midnight  vigil  keep, 
And,  as  the  moon,  serenely  bright, 
Enchants  the  wigwam  with  her  light — 
Reveals  the  features  of  thy  face, 
Who  doth  thee  lovingly  embrace? 

Brothers,  [thus  the  sisters  said,] 

Return  from  wandering  with  the  dead! 

Receive  this  offered  gift  of  ours; 

Receive  these  lovely  prairie  flowers ! 

We  lay  them  gently  on  the  tomb 

To  please  you  with  their  sweet  perfume ; 

They  are  the  fairest  we  can  find 

Disporting  in  the  prairie  wind  ! 

On  plucking  them  they  seemed  to  say, 

We  gladly  go  with  you  away 

To  form  the  happiest  bouquet! 

A  token,  beautiful,  of  love 

From  friends  below  to  friends  above. ' 

And  other  presents,  too,  we  bring 


24  IOWA. 

With  this  our  kindly  offering  — 
Your  bow  and  arrows  here  we  place  ; 
For  you  may  need  them  in  the  chase; 
And  your  ornaments  so  fair, 
We  now  leave  them  in  your  care. 
On  your  graves  no  wilding  grows . 
Pebbles  mark  where  you  repose; 
Pebbles  that  to-day  we  took 
From  the  gently  flowing  brook ; 
And  above  you  they  are  spread 
As  on  the  silvery  minnow's  bed. 
Here  we  also  leave  you  food  ; 
For  it  is  a  weary  road 
You  again  must  travel  o'er 
Ere  you  reach  the  happy  shore. " 
This  said,  the  radiant  vision  fair 
Vanished  quickly  into  the  air. 


THE  TWO  BROTHERS. 

And  then  two  youths  of  gentle  mien 
Went  gliding  by  me  o'er  the  green, 
Who  so  great  beauty  had,  and  grace, 
And  loveliness  in  form  and  face, 
That,  (as  I  had  not  long  before 
Been  glancing  into  ancient  lore) 
I  thought  of  ^Eneas  goddess  born ! 
How  he,  when  cast  away,  forlorn, 
Upon  the  Carthagenian  strand, 


IOWA.  25 

Did  first  before  Queen  Dido  stand, 

Delivered  from  the  misty  cloud 

That  hid  him  from  the  busy  crowd, — 

How  beauty  sparkled  in  his  eyes, 

Eeauty  descended  from  the  skies  ! 

The  goddess  curled  his  flowing  hair; 

Gave  him  youthful  vigor  rare; 

Crowned  his  brow  with  ambient  light ; 

Made  his  face  serenely  bright, 

Like  polished  ivory  beauteous  bold, 

Or  Parian  marble  gemmed  with  gold. 

I  thought  of  fair  Apollo,  too, 

With  his  far-shooting  silver  bow, 

And  golden  quiver,  glittering  bright, 

And  arrows  dipped  in  healing  light, — 

God  of  benevolence  and  truth ; 

The  god  of    beauty  and  of  youth  — 

Immortal,  glorious,  fearless,  young  — 

Sweet  his  heavenly  lyre  rung ; 

The  soul  of  harmony  he  fired ; 

The  silent  muses  he  inspired. 

Would  thou,  my  Muse,  by  him  were  taught, 

Had  spark  of  heavenly  fire  caught, 

Like  sirens  on  the  lonely  isle, 

To  charm  the  passer-by  awhile, 

That  he  might  lend  attentive  ear 

This  story  from  thy  lips  to  hear — 

(Of  no  imaginary  act, 

But  well-authenticated  fact) 

Of  love  two  youths  each  other  bore  — 


26  IOWA. 

So  great  as  seldom  known  before! 

They  brothers  were,  and  they  were  men ; 

And  true  they  were  not  "  white;"  but  then 

'T  is  not  the  color  of  the  skin 

That  tells  us  of  the  heart  within. 

They  lived  together  ;  hunted  game  ; 

And,  beside,  they  thought  of  fame. 

However  much  men  in  their  talk, 

The  love  of  glory  seem  to  mock, 

Should  they  the  truth  in  candor  own, 

Would  gladly  have  their  own  names  known; 

For  't  is  a  feeling,  and  confest, 

Which  dwells  in  almost  every  breast 

From  that  of  humblest  of  the  earth 

To  those  of  highest  rank  and  birth. 

And  God  himself — Ancient  of  Days!  — 

Commands  that  men  shall  sing  his  praise. 

Who  would  not,  like  the  Condor,  seek 

To  gain  the  Andes'  loftiest  peak, 

Could  he  thence  on  wings  arise, 

And  soar  toward  the  azure  skies 

And  pass  pale  Cynthia  in  his  flight, 

And  on  the  morning  star  alight, 

And  there  amid  effulgence  dwell 

For  longer  time  than  tongue  can  tell  ? 

No  labors  are  for  man  too  hard 

Where  renown  is  the  reward; 

For  this  did  Raphael  command 

The  pencil  with  untiring  hand; 

For  this  Beethoven,  deaf  and  old, 


IOWA.  27 

Unwrapped  sheet  music's  every  fold ; 

For  this  blind  Milton  sought  in  song, 

And  toiled  so  deep,  and  toiled  so  long! 

The  love  of  praise  raised  up,  we  know, 

Demosthenes  and  Cicero; 

'Twas  this  that  fashioned  the  ''Greek  Slave;'" 

'T  was  this  made  Bonaparte  so  brave. 

Among  Red  Men  the  surest  way 

To  honor,  is  the  foe  to  slay ; 

Him  they  call  supremely  great 

Who  can  most  martial  deeds  relate. 

The  brothers,  then,  we  cannot  blame 

For  feeding  the  heroic  flame. 

The  elder,  chasing  deer  one  day 

Beyond  the  praries,  far  away, 

Came  where  the  hunting-ground  he  saw 

Of  the  long  hated  Dakota; 

Before  his  mind  rose  every  one 

Of  all  the  wrongs  that  had  been  done 

By  that  dread  people  to  his  own,  — 

(His  aged  father  they  had  slain, 

Whilst  he  was  passing  o'er  the  plain, 

And  e're  they  let  his  soul  depart, 

Tore  from  his  breast  his  bleeding  heart, 

And,  fiend-like,  laughed  to  see  it  pant, — 

On  high  they  flung  it  for  a  taunt!) 

Could  he  restrain  his  raging  ire, — 

From  his  veins  expel  the  fire, — 

As  appeared  distinct  in  view 

One  that  seemed  the  savage  Sioux? 


28  IOWA. 

"  Be  true,"  said  he,  "  my  trusty  bow, 
Lay  the  abhorred  villian  low! 
And  then  an  arrow  keen  he  took ; 
v       With  flint  't  was  pointed  from  the  brook; 
And  feathered  from  the  eagle's  wing ; 
And  bound  around  with  sinew  string. 
The  bow  he  drew  with  mighty  force ; 
The  dart  went  hissing  on  its  course, 
Unseen,  so  swift  it  winged  the  air ; 
He  saw  it  seek  the  bosom  bare ; 
And,  though  afar  it  then  had  sped, 
He  saw  the  blood  come  gushing  red. 
The  victim  threw  his  hands  on  high 
And  sunk  upon  the  turf  to  die ; 
The  victor  made  exulting  shout  — 
A  foe  was  slain  he  had  no  doubt. 
O  youth,  what  fate  must  thee  attend, 
Should  it  not  prove  a  foe  ;  but  friend? 
Now  with  an  eager  haste  he  ran, 
And  stood  above  the  dying  man, 
And  stooping  down,  the  scalp  to  take, 
(A  trophy  for  his  honor's  sake,) 
When  lo,  instead  of  hated  Sioux, 
The  friendly  Iowa  he  knew  ! 
He  paused  :  the  knife  fell  to  the  ground  ; 
He  drew  the  arrow  from  the  wound. 
<     Like  the  stern  commander  bold 
Who  by  the  messenger  is  told, 
"  The  city  of  deserved  hate 
Will  on  no  terms  capitulate ; 


IOWA.  29 

But  dare  unto  the  latest  hour 

With  deadly  scorn  defy  his  power." 

Anger  rushes  to  his  face ; 

He  cries  aloud,  "  The  mortars  place  ; 

For  she  shall  yield  in  dire  disgrace  !  " 

Ten  thousand  comets,  as  it  were, 

Soon  are  flaming  in  the  air, 

As  if  thertf  course  had  wrathful  fled 

To  descend  upon  her  head ! 

Death  and  Destruction  reign  around ; 

And  mighty  Ruin  strews  the  ground! 

Behold  !  her  gates  she  opens  wide  ; 

The  hero  enters  them  in  pride ! 

His  plume  is  waving  in  the  wind ; 

His  soldiers  follow  him  behind; 

High  he  holds  his  peerless  head ; 

Beneath  his  feet  he  spurns  the  dead ; 

Until  he  finds  —  now  free  from  pain  — 

A  lovely  lady  'mong  the  slain  — 

Sweetly  wrapped  in  death  —  at  rest  — 

A  smiling  infant  on  her  breast. 

Behold  the  hero  bowing  low ! 

Adown  his  cheek  the  warm  tears  flow! 

He  takes  the  babe  upon  his  arm, 

And  saves  the  innocent  from  harm. 

And  so  the  youth  ;  how  his  he-j.rt  bled  ! 

How  fain  would  he  have  raised  the  dead! 

Alas  !  he  finds  his  grief  too  late  ; 

So  firm  are  the  decrees,  of  fate ! 

Before  those  eyes  a  darkness  rose ; 


IOWA. 

The  spirit  sought  a  long  repose. 

Awhile  he  stands  in  mute  suspense  ; 

Then  with  a  tender  eloquence  : — 

"  And  thou  hast  found  the  spirit  .land, 

Sent  by  an  undesigning  hand  ; 

My  hopes  with  thine  are  at  an  end  ; 

For  this  my  death  must  make  amend." 

And  then  his  way  he  homeward  bent, 

Soliloquizing  as  he  went : — 

"  '  No,  he  did  it  purposely, 

And  to  escape  doth  falsify.' 

Thus  will  they  answer  my  defense, 

When  I  avow  my  innocence 

Of  having  murdered  by  design. 

I  planly  see  what  fate  is  mine, 

And  to  the  same  myself  resign. 

Some  months  had  passed,   when  men  were 

sent 

Him  to  demand  for  punishment ; 
And  they  found  him  on  his  bed  ; 
Disease  had  humbled  low  his  head  ; 
Yet  willing  was,  at  their  command, 
To  rise  and  seek  the  foreign  land ; 
And  their  unfeeling  orders  were, 
4t  By  coming  morn  he  should  prepare 
With  them  to  go  upon  the  way  ; 
Or  ill  or  well,  he  must  obey." 


IOWA.  31 

THE  INDIAN  VILLAGE. 

A  lovely  "  Iowa  "  village  stood 

Within  the  shadow  of  a  wood, 

And  by  the  margin  of  a  stream ; 

How  happy  did  its  people  seem  ! 

Around  the  council-house  behold 

A  great  concourse  of  young  and  old  ! 

Is  not  the  purpose  of  the  throng 

The  avenging  of  a  wrong? 

And  was  the  youth  torn  from  his  bed, 

And  here  before  accusers  led  ? 

A  youth  of  humble  modesty 

Within  the  council-house  we  see ; 

Such  beauty  brightening  in  his  face 

As  would  well  an  angel  grace; 

Reclining  lowly  on  the  ground, 

While  chiefs  and  braves  with  look  profound, 

Are  seated  in  a  circle  round. 

Behold  the  leading  chief  arise  ! 

Now  on  the  youth  he  rests  his  eyes, 

A  nd  thus  he  speaks  in  accents  slow : — 

4<  Ere  this  the  just  avenging  blow 

Deep  in  the  dust  hath  laid  you  low ; 

But  ancient  custom  of  our  land, 

Bids  that  you  first  before  us  stand, 

With  privilege  of  self  defense 

With  all  you  have  of  eloquence." 

And  so,  the  youth  rose  from  the  ground, 


32  IOWA. 

And  cast  a  pleasant  look  around ; 
Then  from  his  robe  freed  his  right  arm, 
And  stood  erect,  nor  in  alarm. 
All  eyes  surveyed  the  brave  young  man,. 
As  with  sweet  accent  he  began : — 

"Fathers!  I  have  my  death-song  sung; 

With  joy  my  voice  in  numbers  rung; 

For  as  I  came  along  to  die, 

I  heard  the  honey-bee  flit  by  ; 

Its  course  it  turned  toward  the  sky. 

Methought  it  spake  my  spirit  so : — 
'  Arise,  arise,  from  fields  below 

To  where  the  sweeter  flowers  blow ! 

Their  cups  of  bliss  to  thee  no  more 

Shall  close  upon  the  happy  shore.' 

Wherefore  grim  Death,  then,  should  I  fear  ?' 

My  own  free  choice  doth  bring  me  here! 

It  is  not,  Fathers !  my  desire 

That  words  shall  mitigate  your  ire ; 

The  tom'hawk  en  my  head  must  fall ; 

Nor  this  may  I  injustice  call; 

It  would  not  now  the  stroke  prevent 

To  claim  my  brother  innocent 

Of  having  with  vile  purpose  slain 

One  of  your  braves  upon  the  plain. 

Fathers  !  here  I  take  the  place 

Of  him  whom  you  would  now  disgrace  - 

Into  your  hands  my  life  I  give; 

O,  that  my  brother  long  may  live ! 


IOWA.  *  33 

Upon  his  bed  he  lies,  too  ill 
Himself  your  mandate  to  fulfill ! 
I  came  without  his  own  consent, 
And  much  he  strove  me  to  prevent; 
Such  has  his  kindness  to  me  been 
Would  I  NOT  die  for  him,  't  were  sin." 

Thus  having  said,  again  he  sate 
Him  down  among  these  men  of  state, 
And  there  awaited  calm  his  fate. 
Did  they  arise  with  furious  yell, 
Bend  over  him  like  fiends  of  hell, 
Bury  the  tom'hawk  in  his  brain, 
And  bid  him  sleep,  nor  wake  again  ? 
Ah  no,  full  glad  am  I  to  say 
How  well  they  welcomed  him  that  day  ! 
They  freely  gave  the  friendly  hand, 
And  bade  him  with  the  bravest  stand  ; 
And  then  resolved  to  make  a  feast 
In  honor  of  the  worthy  guest ! 
So,  down  into  the  glen  they  go, 
Hard  by  the  rivulet  below, — 
I  trow,  no  fairer  spot  of  ground 
In  all  the  boundless  West  is  found  ! 
Dame  Nature  there  has  carpet  spread, 
The  giant  oaks  nod  overhead ; 
'Neath  craggy  rock  is  sylvan  spring, 
Near  which  by  moonlight  maidens  sing ; 
Nor  distant  hence  afar  is  found 
A  spacious  grot  beneath  the  ground 
3 


34  IOWA. 

Where  oft  young  men  and  maids  repair, 
And  presents  in  their  hands  they  bear 
For  the  good  spirit  that  dwells  there. 
Then  as  the  dusky  eve  draws  nigh, 
They  seek  a  mossy  seat  hard  by, 
Where  they  may  catch  the  lovely  sound 
Of  water  as  it  trickles  down 
From  a  shelving  rock  above; 
Here  they  sit  and  talk  of  love ; 
And  oftentimes  prolong  their  stay 
While  Hesperus  crowns  departing  day, 
And  after  she  has  long  sought  rest 
On  her  couch  low  in  the  west. 
A  deep-worn  circle,  too,  is  seen, 
Near  by  the  spring,  upon  the  green, 
Where  now  young  braves  are  chanting  loud 
And  aged  warriors,  bold  and  proud — 
(All  painted  o'er  with  many  a  hue  ; 
And  each  a  hieroglyphic  true — 
Telling  of  the  foes  they  slew) 
Are  dancing  many  an  antic  round, 
To  rudest  instrumental  sound; 
Waving  the  war-club  oft  on  high 
Or  pointing  arrows  to  the  sky, 
Portraying  how  they  battles  gained, 
Or  how  the  bison's  blood  they  drained, 
Or  how  the  bow,  from  crag  on  high, 
Brought  down  the  eagle  bold  to  die. 
All  the  village  throng  is  there, — 
The  young,  the  old,  the  brave,  the  fair, 


IOWA.  35 

So  that  now  under  every  tree 
A  group  there  is  in  gladsome  glee ! 
Participating  in  the  sport, 
Their  guest  is  happy  as  at  court ! 
Meanwhile  are  matrons  hurrying  fast 
To  prepare  the  rich  repast. 
Soon,  at  a  well-known  signal,  all, 
Male  and  female,  great  and  small, 
Place  themselves  in  order  round, 
Low  seated  on  the  grassy  ground; 
While  those  that  are  of  high  degree 
On  elevated  mound  we  see — 
A  place  of  greater  dignity — 
And  honored  far  above  the  rest, 
We  may  behold  the  youthful  guest. 
To  him  they  first  refreshment  bring, 
And  then  to  others  of  the  ring 
Promiscuously,  till  soon  't  is  known 
That  well  supplied  is  every  one ; 
When  with  great  joy  they  all  partake 
Of  bounteous  gift  of  wood  and  lake; 
Of  maize-bread,  product  of  the  soil ; 
But  most  of  fruit  of  huntsman's  toil, — 
The  flesh  of  buffalo  and  bear  ; 
Of  the  elk  and  of  the  deer; 
And  fish — the  pike  and  salmon  rare — 
All  that  fair  Nature  here  affords 
Graces  this  banquet  of  her  lords; 
Much  of  the  fruit  of  vine  and  tree 
And  honey  of  the  working  bee. 


36  IOWA. 

How  sweet  a  nectar,  too,  they  bring 
From  the  ever-bubbling  spring! 
Bubbling  from  the  sands  below — 
Sands  as  pure  and  white  as  snow  ! 
How  happy  was  the  feast,  and  long; 
And  echoed  oft  the  hills  with  song — 
Song  of  welcome  to  the  stranger — 
Welcome  there,  all  free  from  danger  [ 

A  SONG  OF  WELCOME. 

Welcome,  stranger,  welcome  here  1 
Thou  art  welcome  to  our  cheer! 

Has  he  not  a  loving  brother, 

And  may  be  a  sister  dear, 
And  an  old  heart-broken  mother, 

And  an  aged  father  near, 
Who  are  now  bowed  down  in  sorrow 

For  this  loved  one  good  and  brave, 
Fearing  lest  the  coming  morrow 

Find  him  slumbering  in  the  grave  ? 

Do  not  think  our  eyes  so  blinded ; 

Do  not  think  our  souls  so  vile ; 
Do  not  think  us  so  dark  minded  ; 

Do  not  think  us  lost  in  guile, 
That  we  cannot  see,  all  glowing  ! 

Light — a  spark  from  God  above ! 
Or  seeing,  and  its  purpose  knowing, 

Would  stifle  such  a  light  of  love! 


IOWA.  37 

Welcome,  stranger,  welcome  here  ! 
Thou  art  worthy  of  our  cheer! 

The  sun  his  face  began  to  hide 
Within  the  vast  Pacific  tide, 
Ere  they  -the  village  reach  again, 
Where  all  seek  rest  save  the  young  men, 
They  on  their  coursers  ride  afar 
While  lingers  the  bright  evening  star. 
It  was  indeed  a  lovely  sight 
To  look  upon  them  by  moonlight, 
Dashing  through  woods  and  over  plains — 
Without  saddle,  without  reins  !  - 
Now  all  meeting  in  one  place, 
Loud  neigh  the  horses  for  the  race  ; 
The  riders  bending  forward  then, 
Their  coursers  (more  than  ten  times  ten) 
Spring  onward  with  a  mighty  bound ; 
The  prairies  tremble  far  around  ; 
.And  thundering  hoofs  on  air  resound. 
They  speed,  they  speed  full  fast  away! 
But  see  two  steeds  of  glossy  bay — 
How  sweet  the  moonbeams  on  them  play ! 
They  leave  the  others  far  behind — 
Much  like  the  Anglo-Saxon  mind 
In  great  achievements  for  mankind. 

The  night  is  past,  bright  morning  glows  ; 

And  all  have  had  a  calm  repose  ; 

And  they  have  said  their  fervent  prayers 


38  IOWA. 

To  Him  who  ever  for  them  cares, —  , 

(To  whom  devotedly  they  pray, 

At  morn  and  eve  of  every  day). 

Now,  ere  the  stranger  guest  depart, 

They  show  again  a  kindly  heart. 

By  making  presents  to  him  there, 

Which  he  may  with  his  brother  share : 

Two  good  suits  of  hunters'  clothes, 

Two  wampum  belts,  and  two  strong  bows; 

Then  many  of  their  dearest  beads  ; 

And  last,  the  pair  of  bright  bay  steeds, 

Which  on  the  happy  eve  before 

In  the  race  had  triumph  bore  ! 

He,  joyful  went  to  greet  his  brother  ; 
Long  they  lived  to  love  each  other. 

THE  CONCLUSION. 

And  now,  fair  stream,  have  I  mused  long, 

And  lengthened  out  a  thankless  song  ! 

It  is  thy  fault,  sweet  stream,  I  say, 

That  I  have  wandered  so  away ! 

Why  do  the  lovely  sunbeams  lave 

And  glisten  in  thy  rippling  wave  ? 

Why  do  the  willows  on  thy  brink 

Bow  down  their  heads  and  seem  to  drink  ? 

Why  does  the  pretty  "silver-side" 

Play  through  thy  waters  so  in  pride  ? 

Had  never  these  mv  vision  crossed 


IOWA.  39 

Perhaps  I  had  not  now  been  lost ! 

Why  is  that  venerable  mound 

Upon  thy  level  margin  found  ? 

Who  made  it  thus  of  earth  and  stone 

To  thee,  O  ancient  stream,  'tis  known  ! 

I  look  upon  it,  and  my  mind 

In  thought  no  resting-place  can  find  ; 

I  think  that  it,  perhaps,  was  built 

Where  blood,  a  deluge,  had  been  spilt  ; 

Perhaps,  beneath  where  it  arose 

Bones  of  a  patriot  repose; 

WThile  tHis  alone  by  it  is  told, — 

"A  people  dwelt  here  once  of  old;" 

And  seems  to  mention  with  the  same, — 

"They  dwelt  here  ere  the  Indian  came" 

The  Indian  !  Keokuk  the  great ! 

Pride  of  a  patriotic  State  ! 

In  battle,  braver  ne'er  was  one ; 

In  wisdom,  the  bright  noonday  sun  ; 

In  eloquence,  a  crowned  king, — 

Surpassed  by  none  in  anything 

That  can  exalt  a  Red  Man's  name 

And  give  to  him  undying  fame  ! 

No  power  so  strong — no  base-born  bribe — 

Could  lead  him  to  betray  his  tribe. 

Be  ye  reproved,  vile  statesmen  old, 

Who  love  your  country  less  than  gold ! 

"I  liked  my  towns — my  cornfields,  too: 

For  these,  0  white  man,  I  fought  you!" 


40  IOWA. 

Thus  speaks  the  wronged  Indian  dead  ; 
'Twas  thus  the  patriot  Black  Hawk  said. 
Be  long,  my  lovely  Iowa,  be 
Home  of  as  noble-hearted  free  ! 

Thou  stream,  farewell  !     I  shall  be  lorn 
'Till  smiling  dawns  another  morn, 
When  here  I  once  again  may  stray 
And  while  an  happy  hour  away  ! 

SAYLOB'S  GROVE,  JUNE,  1858. 


IOWA. 
PART   SECOND. 

•   (1859) 


IOWA,  (Part  Second),  is  an  attempt  to  paint  pleas 
ing  pen-pictures  of  natural  scenery— a  most  difficult 
undertaking.  In  this  Poesy  and  Paintirg  come  near 
each  other  and  become  entitled  to  be  called  ''Twin 
Sisters." 

The  pleasant  Spring  of  1859,  spent  in  Saylor's  Grove, 
like  the  Spring  and  Summer  before,  were  halcyon 
days  to  the  young  writer.  Then  his  hopes  were  bright 
est.  But  the  dreams  of  youth  are  often  wilted  by  the 
frosts  of  later  life.  There  is  this  c».  mpensation,  howev 
er:  Our  disappointments  are  a  school-master  to  us.  If 
we,  (like  Socrates  and  Tasso)  are  'under  the  protection 
of  some  heavenly  guardian  and  are  predestined,  (like 
Joseph)  to  be  a  benefactor  of  our  kindred  and  coun 
trymen,  the  way  to  success  lies  not  necessarily  along 
pleasant  paths,  nor  can  the  persecuting  jealousy  of 
little  men  prevent  our  final  triumph. 


IOWA, 

PAET  SECOND. 

o 

THE  PRESENT. 

A  MORNINGS    MEDITATION  ON  THE  BANKS  OF  THE   DES 
MOlNES. 

"Let  all  the  ends  thou  aimest  at  be  thy  country's,. 
Thy  God's,  and  truth's."— SHAKSPEARE. 

I  now  the  wished-for  morn  behold  ; 
The  sun  displays  his  crown  of  gold ; 
But  many  smiling  days  have  flown, 
The  dove  hath  uttered  many  a  moan, 
Since  I,  reclining  here  alone, 
Mused  in  melancholy  mood, 
As  the  sorrowful  Past  I  viewed. 
Let  my  thoughts  this  morning  be 
From  all  melancholy  free  ; 
Indeed,  the  Present  gives  my  mind, 
Of  images  a  pleasing  kind  ; 
And  the  Future  meets  my  view 
Illumined  with  a  golden  hue. 

Are  not  these  Western  streams  as  fair 
As  Tiber,  Thames,  the  Seine,  or  Ayr, 


44  IOWA. 

Danube,  Vistula,  Guadalquivir, 
Or  any  European  river  ? 
If  e'en  to  Asia  I  should  go, 
And  there  behold  the  Hoang-ho, 
Euphrates,  Indus,  Irawaddy, 
Bramapootra,  and  Cambodia  ; 
And  stray  through  Africa  awhile — 
Behold  the  Niger  and  the  Nile — 
When  from  my  wanderings  I  come 
And  view  again  the  streams  at  home, 
I  ask,  would  these  not  seem  to  me 
As  fair  as  those  beyond  the  sea  ? 
Iowa,  virgin  State,  is  seen 
Arrayed  now  in  her  robes  of  green — 
A  maid  of  more  than  mortal  charms — 
Diana  in  two  happy  arms, 
As  if  from  high  come  down  again 
To  fair  Endymion  of  men. 
The  river  on  her  eastern  side 
Exalts  my  patriotic  pride  ! 
It  needs  no  sounding  trump  of  fame 
To  send  abroad  the  well  known  name. 
The  British  bard  would  glad  depart 
From  the  monotony  of  Art, 
Displayed  before  him  all  the  while, 
Upon  his  much  loved  native  Isle, 
Where  hedges  white  in  May,  as  snow 
Checker  the  land  where'er  he  go, — 
The  flowery  scene  is  fair,  I  know ; 
But  Nature,  wild  and  primitive, 


IOWA.' 

There  no  longer  seems  to  live, 

Right  glad  would  he  depart,  I  say, 

On  Mississippi's  banks  to  stray. 

Along  Iowa's  western  side 

Flows  the  Missouri  deep  and  wide, — 

Rivers  beautiful  and  great 

Are  the  pride  of  any  State; 

And  who  will  question  this  so  true, 

That  Iowa  hath  not  a  few  ? 

Hers  are  the  great  and  little  Sioux, 

The  Turkey  ahd  Makoqueta, 

Red  Cedar;  and  the  Iowa, 

Besides  "wide-bottomed"  Chicaqua, — 

Asipala  (or  swift  Raccoon) 

And  many  more,  with  which  the  Doon 

And  the  far-renouned  Ayr 

In  length  nor  beauty  can  compare. 

But  for  good  reason  have  I  passed 

By  thee,  Des  Moines,  to  name  thee  last 

However  distant  I  may  roam, 

I  find  no  place  I  love  like  home; 

And  towns  and  cities  I  have  seen 

Exceeding  beautiful,  I  ween, 

But  I  prefer  my  village  still, 

Which  I  behold  on  yon  green  hill; 

Her  damsels  seem  to  me  more  fair 

Than  those  I  ever  meet  elsewhere. 

For  some  good  reason  do  I  love 

More  than  all  others  this  my  grove ;, 

High  on  yon  bending  hickory 


46  IOWA. 

The  squirrel  often  speaks  to  me; 

Here  on  an  evening  calm  and  still 

I  hear  the  lonely  whip-poor-will ; 

While  frequently  I  all  day  long 

Sit  listening  to  continual  song, — 

A  choir  chanting  in  this  wood 

A  chorus  to  the  praise  of  God, 

Who  hath  sent  Winter  far  away 

And  ushered  in  the  vernal  May. 

All  creatures  seem  thus  to  rejoice, 

Without  but  one  discordant  voice. 

From  beak  of  little  warbling  bird 

Hath  any  person  ever  heard. 

(Although  his  locks  be  white  with  years) 

"This  world  is  but  a  vail  of  tears  ?" 

No,  no,  its  little  speech  is  this : — 

"Behold  our  world,  a  world  of  bliss!" 

It  is  indeed  a  very  shame; 

Tt  is  blaspheming  God's  high  name, 

Who  built  the  starry  dome  above, 

Who  filled  the  universe  with  love, 

Crowned  Beauty  as  a  queen  to  reign, 

O'er  all  His  glorious  domain, 

That  any  creature  can  be  heard 

To  contradict  the  little  bird  ! 

Yes,  the  happy  warblers  sing 

To  welcome  in  the  days  of  Spring — 

And  what  a  merry,  merry  lay ! 

How  it  delights  my  mind  to-day 

While  on  these  pleasant  banks  I  stray. 


IOWA.  47 

Ah,  Des  Moines,  need  I  now  tell, 
Why  'tis  I  like  thy  shores  so  well? 

Once  musing  on  thy  banks,  O  stream, 
I  had  a  memorable  dream! 
A  beauteous  -maid  before  me  stood  ; 
She  seemed  a  huntress  of  the  wood ; 
And  I  beheld  her  bow  unstrung; 
Her  quiver  o'er-  her  shoulder  hung  ; 
I  saw  not  e'en  an  arrow  there ; 
Around  it  wantoned  her  long  hair; 
Her  dress  seemed  loosely  o'er  her  placed, 
Except  'twas  girdled  round  her  waist; 
Nor  shoes  had  she  upon  her  feet ; 
Her  eyes  so  bright  knew  not  deceit ; 
A  lovely  wreath  of  flowers  hung 
Around  her  neck;  and  them  she  flung, 
With  kindly  smile,  about  my  own; 
Then  meekly  on  a  mossy  stone 
She  sat  her  down,  but  not  alone  ; — 
It  did  not  seem  to  wound  her  pride 
That  I  should  seat  me  by  her  side ; 
But  now  she  looks  on  me  in  love ; 
She  seems  an  angel  from  above ! 
Ah,  now  she  passes  from  my  view, — 
Glides  swiftly  in  a  bark  canoe, 
Toward  thy  northern  shores,  fair  stream; 
And  much  I  sorrow  in  my  dream  ! 
I  see  thy  sparkling  waves  full  plain ; 
She  dips  her  paddle  in  again; 


48  IOWA. 

The  trees  behold  the  swift  canoe, 
And  wave  to  her  a  kind  adieu  ; 
The  birds  now  chant  a  mournful  lay, 
That  she  must  pass  from  them  away; 
The  woods  and  prairies  grieve  full  soreK 
That  they  shall  see  her  face  no  more ; — 
Her  every  movement  seems  to  tell, 
In  beauty  none  can  her  excel ; 
And  what  a  voice  was  hers — so  clear ! 
Methinks  its  accents  now  I  hear 
While  she  glides  gracefully  along, 
Still  carroling  her  farewell  song. 


FAREWELL  SONG  OF  PRIMITIVE  NATURE. 

The  Sun  shall  continue  in  his  kindly  duty 
Through  days  without  number  to  come, 

Of  rising  and  painting  this  landscape  with  beauty,, 
Then  gliding  with  joy  to  his  home. 

And  oft  will  he  pass  by  the  twelve  constellations 

That  encircle  the  heavens  above; 
And  Spring  shall  respond  to  his  kind  invitations, 

And  be  seen  here  as  oft  in  her  love. 

The  beautiful  Summer,  Autumn  fruit-laden, 

And  white-bearded  Winter  severe, 
Will  return  like  a  youth  at  the  beck  of  a  maiden,. 

Whene'er  he  shall  bid  them  appear. 


IOWA.  49 

Sable  Night,  as  if  wrapped    in  a   robe    of  deep 

mourning, 

Will  stalk  here  in  sadness  and  gloom, 
Till  the  moon  shall  arise  with  her  silver   adorn 
ing, 
Like  a  spirit  goes  up  from  the  tomb. 

The  stars  gladly  join  her  with   beauty    refulgent, 
Like  eyes  when  they  sparkle  with  mirth  ; 

Thick  clouds  are  all  banished ;   for   winds    were 

indulgent, — 
Behold  now  a  glorious  earth! 

I  leave  this  loved  land ;  but  I  go  not  in  sorrow ; 

I  bid  now  adieu  to  this  shore; 
My  sister   comes   after   to    dwell    here   to-mor 
row, — 

Sweet  land,  shall  I  see  thee  no  more  ? 

The  storm-cloud  shall  rise  from  the    West    with 

its  thunder 

Deep-echoing  terror  afar; 
The   three-forked    lightning  shall  cleave    oaks 

asunder, — 
Dread  shaft  from  a  furious  star. 

When  these  plains  are  uplifted  by   volcanic   fires 
That  sleep  now  in  quiet  below, 

And  pierce  the  high  clouds  with    the   rock-poin 
ted  spires 

Encased  in  perpetual  snow; 
4 


50  IOWA. 

When  these  rivers  have  fled  and  are  lost   in    the 

ocean ; 

Nor  their  trace  can  we  longer  discern  ; 
And  all  things  are  changed  in  the  mighty    com 
motion, 
Behold  once  again  I  return ! 

As  this  one  vanishes  from  sight 
Behold  another  vision  bright! 
Another  maid  approaching  me, — 
Hers  is  the  voice  of  "Liberty." 

A  SONTG  OF  "LIBERTY." 

Nature  and  I  twin  sisters  are, 
We  love  alike  the  wilderness ; 

But  still  we  wander  oft  afar, 

And  give  to  Art  her  mightiness. 

'T  is  I  the  souls  of  men  inspire 
With  longings  for  immortal  fame ; 

I  kindle  in  their  breasts  the  fire ; 
I  fan  it  to  a  mounting  flame. 

Cast  but  a  glance  at  ancient  Greece  ; 

Whose  strength  exalted  her  so   high? 
In  war  the  mightiest;  in  peace 

She  seems  uplifted  to  the  sky  ! 

'T  was  Liberty  gave  her  her  men; 
Her  men  created  her  renown ; 


IOWA.  51 

But  can  I  not  call  up  again 

As  great  as  wore  the  olive  crown  ? 

Another  age,  another  clime, 

Where  Tyranny  ne'er  drew  a  breath, 
May  yet  behold  a  scene  sublime, — 

The  mighty,  as  though  raised  from  death. 

Raised  freed  as  from  their  former  clay, — 
Debasing  passions  laid  aside, — 

Raised  to  enjoy  a  full- orbed  day, 
And  feel  a  more  becoming  pride. 

Protected  by  the  one  true  God 

Whom  they  with  reverence  behold; 

They'll  walk  in  paths  before  untrod, 
And  darkest  mysteries  unfold. 

This  lovely  land  they'll  re-create, — 

Make  Eden  bloom  on  earth  once  more; 

Here,  here  will  build  a  noble  State, 
Greater  than  Attica  of  yore. 

Will  any  lift  the  ruthless  hand  ; 

By  any  will  that  stroke  be  given, 
Shall  drive  me  from  this  beauteous  land  ? — 

He  drives  me  back  for  aye  to  Heaven  ! 

No,  lovely  being!  much  I  pray 
That  none  may  banish  thee  away ; 
For  well  I  know  how  man  is  blest 
Whilst  thou  contiriuest  his  guest. 


52  IOWA. 

I  would,  O  Liberty,  that  he 

Might  bow  to  earth  and  worship  thee; 

I  would  thy  temples  here  might  rise 

On  marble  columns  to  the  skies; 

I  would  have  thee  adored  as  one 

Next  to  Jehovah  and  his  Son. 

Young  men  and  maidens,  let  us^raise. 

To  her  a  daily  hymn  of  praise! 

Des  Moines,  upon  thy  verdant  shore 

May  she  continue  evermore! 

May  never  gaze  on  thee,  that  thing — 

The  curse  of  human-kind — a  king; 

May  never  look  upon  thy  wave, 

While  time  shall  last,  a  trembling  slave! 

Upon  thy  northern  wave  the  Sioux 

Is  paddling  still  his  birch  canoe. 

What  lovely  prospect  meets  my  view  ! — 

The  rolling  prairies,  like  a  sea 

In   vast  and  wild  sublimity, 

There  lie  with  an  unbroken  sod, 

Untilled  but  by  the  hand  of  God : 

He  sows  the  seeds  of  grass  and  flowers ; 

He  moistens  them  with  vernal  showers. 

But  look  abroad  in  summer-time; 

I'm  sure  in  England's  foggy  clime, 

With  all  the  aid  that  Art  effords, 

With  all  the  efforts  of  rich  lords, 

A  garden  blooming  half  so  fair 

Never  yet  has  flourished  there. 


IOWA.  53 

What  are  her  parks,  to  one  who  here 

Has  chased  the  bison,  elk,  and  deer, 

O'er  pathless  plains,  and  through  wild  woods, 

And  wandered  in  those  solitudes, 

Where  could  be  heard  no  grating  sound 

Of  mill,  nor  cattle  lowing  round, 

Nor  crowing  cock,  nor  yelping  hound, 

Nor  sportman's  gun,  nor  tolling  bell, 

The  charms  of  Nature  to  dispel, — 

Has  watched  the  beaver  build  like  men, 

And  killed  the  wild  duck  aud  marsh  hen; 

Caught  wolves  and  badgers,    lynx,  raccoon, 

And  shot  on  Spirit  Lake  the  loon  ? 

Ah,. Spirit  Lake!  she  is  to-day 

As  beautiful  as  Lorh-Achray ! 

'T  is  true,  the  "Minstrel"  here  can  view 

No  lofty  rocks,  no  Ben-venue : 

Here  Nature  doffs  her  awful  charms ; — 

Holds  out  to  him  her  lovely  arms, 

I  mount  on  Fancy's  wings  the  air; 

I  seek  a  woody  island,  where 

Upon  a  grassy  couch  reclined, 

Fond  recollections  throng  my  mind, 

Of  happy  days,  when  but  a  child, 

I  glided  o'er  such  waters  wild, 

And,  glad,  on  every  danger  smiled. 

The  little  boat  my  father  guides  ; 

My  playful  hands  hang  o'er  its  sides, 

And  dabble  in  the  foaming  waves, 

That  rise  like  spectres  from  the  graves, — 


54  IOWA. 

I  do  not  know  their  rage  to  fear ; 

Their  music  joyfully  strikes  mine  ear 

Tis  thus  I  yet  on  life's  waves  ride, 

By  no  wild  breakers  terrified  ; 

I  let  them  roll  unheeded  by, 

Nor  seem  to  know  the  danger  nigh, — 

Content  and  hope  fill  up  my  breast  ; 

And  threat  what  will,  I  still  am  blest ! 

Protected  by  a  Father's  care, 

Approach  not  fear;  away  despair! 

The  raging  winds   have  sought  their   caves, 

And  now  subsided  are  the  waves  ; 

Not  e'en  a  rush  is  seen  to  shake ; 

So  smoothe  the  surface  of  the  lake, 

I  see  the  fishes  at  their  play; 

I  see  them  quickly  dart  away. 

What  dreadful  form  to  them  appears, 

That  now  so  mightily  wakes  their  fears  ? — 

A  giant  monster  moving  slow, 

And  dips  two  frightful  fins  below. 

Thus  men  take  fright  ofttimes  as  great 

At  monsters  their  own  fears  create; 

Church-yards    by  night    swarm  with  grim 

ghosts, 

Dark  Hades  has  dire  fiends  by  hosts, 
And  Pluto  reigns  supreme  o'er  all 
That  dwell  within  the  horrid  wall. 
We  now  pass  round  a  point  of  land 
Where  branching  cedars  thickly  stand; 
Wild  berries,  plums,  and  grapes  abound, 


IOWA.  55 

And  nuts  of  many  kinds  are  found. 
But  what  a  lovely  prospect  lies 
Outspread  before  my  gladdened  eyes ! 
The  lake  with  boats  is  dotted  o'er 
From  yon  small  village  on  the  shore; 
The  fisherman  sinks  down  his  seine 
And  rows  toward  that  shore  again; 
And  the  light  anchors  others  weigh 
Who  have  been  angling  all  the  day, 
And  homeward  turn,  because  the  sun 
His  daily  course  has  well-nigh  run ; 
While  each  loud  sound  the  paddles  make 
Is  borne  by  Echo  o'er  the  lake, 
And  her  sweet  voice  is  plainly  heard 
To  answer  each  .loud-spoken  word. 
But  hark !  what  tender  sound  I  hear, 
That  strikes  so  mournfully  mine  ear ! 
'Tis  borne  on  Zephyr's  wings  from  far, — 
The  music  of  a  soft  guitar. 

ADIEU. 

I  love  my  contry's  maidens, 

Wherever  I  may  roam ; 
But  those  that  are  most  dear  to  me 

Are  of  my  village  home ; 

Because  I  love  that  village ; 

I  love  her  hills  around ; 
Her  woods  and  her  wild  prairies; 

Her  streamlets'  murmuring  sound. 


56  IOWA. 

There  comes  a  voice  unbidden, 
Nor  can  I  tell  thee  why, 

Commanding  me  to  love  my  home, 
That  voice  is  from  on  high. 

While  I  have  been  a  stranger, 
Far  from  that  home  away, 

There  never  has  unkindness  yet 
Beclouded  my  fair  day. 

No  maid  has  e'er  despised  me, 
Although  of  high  degree  ; 

Nor  has  she  ever  spurned  me 
From  her  sweet  company. 

Must  the  tear  of  bitter  grief 
Now  first  be  made  to  start ; 

Must  the  heaviest  stroke  be  given 
Against  my  feeling  heart, 

By  those  I  prize  so  highly 
Of  my  own  village  home, 

By  those  I  prize  more  highly  far 
Than  wealth  or  ancient  Rome  ? 

But  now  I  am  determined, 
Ah  !  never  more  to  feel 

Such  cruel  wound  upon  my  heart, 
Worse  than  a  wound  of  steel ! 

So,  in  the  happy  woods  I'll  seat 
Me  on  a  mossy  stone  ; 


IOWA.  57 

I'll  strike  upon  my  sounding  harp 
And  leave  the  maids  alone ! 

Dame  Nature,  I  shall  woo  her 

With  all  my  words  of  love  ; 
I'll  woo  the  flowers  of  the  ground 

I'll  woo  the  birds  above  ; 

I'll  woo  the  gentle  sunset ; 

I'll  woo  the  evening  breeze, 
While  it  sings  on  joyful  wings 

Among  my  forest  trees! 

A  large  and  handsome  boat  I  see ; 
It  bears  a  happy  company, 
That  came  to  spend  a  joyful  day 
Upon  this  little  cape  in  play, — 
Gathering  fruits,  and  wreathing  flowers; 
Reclining  'neath  the  shady  bowers 
Formed  by  Nature's  sylvan  fingers, 
Where,  a  wood-nymph,  still  she  lingers, 
Plucking  warer-lilies  fair, 
To  adorn  her  raven  hair ; 
Holding  in  her  lovely  hand 
A  branch  of  cedar  for  a  wand ; 
Protecting  all  the  living  things 
That  walk  the  earth,  or  fly  on  wings  ; 
Directing  the  industrious  bees 
To  take  for  mansions  her  tall  trees; 
Painting  the  wings  of  butterflies 
With  colors  like  the  evening  skies. 


58  IOWA. 

To-day,  beneath  her  shades  so  cool, 
Those  of  a  Christian  Sabbath-school 
Sat  down  and  drank  of  happiness, — 
Drank  from  the  cup  of  social^bliss  ; 
But  now  at  evening  they  forsake 
The  grove  and  sail  upon  the  lake. 
As  towards  their  homes  they  haste  along, 
All  are  joined  in  sacred  song. 

A  PSALM    OF    DAVID.* 

Oh,  now  let  us  sing  to  the  Lord  a  new  song, 
For  marvelous  deeds  hath  He  done  ; 

With  His  holy  arm  and  right  hand    ever    strong 
He  hath  the  great  victory  won. 

By  love    hath    He    conquered,   salvation    made 
known. 

And  now  may  the  heathen  rejoice, — 
To  them  is  His  righteousness  openly  shown  ; 

They  hear  His  kind  welcoming  voice. 

How  well  He  remembered  in  mercy  and  truth 

To  smile  upon  Israel,  too; 
The  ends  of  the  earth, — all  the  aged  and  youth — 

Are  led  His  salvation  to  view. 

Let  all  the  wide  world  to  Him  joyfully  raise 

A  noise  of  thanksgiving  on  high  ; 
With  the  voice  of  a  psalm  on   the  harp,  sing  His 
praise, — 

Sing  praise  unto  Him  who  is  nigh. 

*   J'ealrn  xcviii. 


IOWA.  59 

With  trumpets  and  sound  of  the  glad  cornet  make 

A  joyful  noise  to  our  King; 
Let  seas  loudly  roar,  and  their   creatures  awake, 

And  the  world,  and  all  in  it,  sing. 

Let  floods    clap  their   hands;  let   the    gladsome 
hills  smile 

Before  Him  who  bade  them  have  birth; 
He  cometh,  and  they  shall  behold  Him  erewhile 

With  righteousness  judging  the  earth! 

But  now  I  leave  this  lake's  wild  shore, 
Perhaps  to  visit  it  no  more. 
Iowa — thirteen  years  a  State,  * 
And  now  appears  among  the  great ! 
Let  her  proud  banner  be  unfurled 
And  borne  in  triumph  round  the  world  ! 
"Oh,  I  have  found  the  beauteous  one, — 
The  fairest  land  beneath  the  sun!" 
Thus  strangers,  when  they  first  behold 
This  land  more  bright  than  glittering  gold  ; 
Thus  speak  they  when  their  eyes  first   greet 
Her  plains,  like  boundless  fields  of  wheat; 
When  first  her  dark  green  forests  rise 
Conspicuous  before  their  eyes  ; 
When  first  they  see  her  rivers  roll 
Through  fields  exhaustless  of  rich  coal; 
When  first  her  marble  beds  appear ; 
When  to  her  lime-stone  quarries  near ; 
When  they  her  mines  of  led  explore  ; 

*  Admitted  into  the  Union  Dec.  28, 1846. 


60  IOWA. 

When  they  behold  her  iron  ore 

And  copper  on  the  river  shore, 

And  fire-clay  and  quartzite  sand, 

And  gypsum  underneath  the  land. 

Thus  is  she  great  in  mineral  worth  ; 

She  is  the  garden  of  the  earth  ! 

How  very  wise  in  all  her  laws ! 

How  glorius  in  Freedom's  cause  ! 

On  the  Escutcheon  give  her  far 

The  broadest  stripe,  the  brightest  star! 

Escutcheon  of  the  thirty-three, — 

The  coat-of-arms  of  Liberty, 

And  of  a  noble  family! 

Yes,  Iowa  indeed  is  fair ; 

Of  streams  of  water  has  her  share  ; 

Is  rich  in  minerals,  and  her  soil 

Will  bless  for  aye  the  plowman's  toil. 

Who  o'er  the  prairies  looks  abroad, 

And  does  not  see  the  hand  of  God 

Preparing  them  through  ages  past 

To  be  the  homes  of  men  who  cast 

The  seed  abroad,  and  reap  ^gain 

A  rich  reward  in  golden  grain ! 

Who  has  prophetic  ken  to  tell 

How  many  million  here  may  dwell; 

What  mighty  deeds  will  here  be  done  ; 

What  wreaths  ol  laurel  here  be  won  ! 

What  men  appear  whose  names  shall   stand 

An  honor  to  their  native  land  ! 

BAYLOR'S  GROVE,  JUNE,  1859. 


IOWA. 
PART   THIRD 

(1882.) 


Many  changes  have  taken  place  since  the  spring  of 
1859.  It  is  winter  now  of  1881-2.  The  urgent  needs 
of  a  large  family  compel  the  author  o  accept  grate 
fully  the  humble  place  of  teacher  of  a  louutry  school, 
three  miles  from  his  rural  cabin  home.  But  his  path 
lies  alorg  the  beautiful  Des  Moines,  all  the  way 
through  thick  woods — a  pleasant  path  indeed.  He 
has  reached  the  age  of  forty-four,  perfect  in  health 
not  having  been  seriously  ill  even  one  day  in  seven 
teen  years.  Why  not  now  write  his  master-piece  ? 
Filled  with  this  glorious  hope,  confident  of  the  ripe 
ness  of  his  mind,  the  task  is  begun,  and  IOWA,  PART 
THIRD  is  composed  by  the  author  while  journeying, 
mornings  and  evenings  to  and  from  his  little  school. 


IOWA. 

PART    THIRD. 

THE  FUTURE. 

A  MORNING'S  MEDITATION  ON  THE  BANKS    OF  THE    DES 

MOiNES. 

x- 

"Still  true  to  reason  be  my  plan." — AKENSIDE. 

At  forty-lour  with  heart  as  young 
As  when  a  beardless  boy  I  sung, — 
At  forty-four  with  hope  the  same 
And  love  of  honorable  fame — 
The  same  unconquered  mind  and  free, 
But  chastened  by  Adversity — 
O  may  the  path  that  I  have  trod 
Be  hailed  the  narrow  way  to  God  ! 
At  forty-four  I  strike  anew 
•        The  harp  laid  down  at  twenty-two, — 
Awake  the  patriotic  strain 
To  rise  into  a  grand  refrain 
Resounding  over  land  and  main — 
A  Hymn  of  Freedom  bold  and  strong 
The 'bane  of  Tyranny  and  Wrong. 


64  IOWA. 

Thy  waves,  Des  Moines,  thou  happy  Stream, 

Emblem  of  life  of  virtue  seem, 

Gliding  onward  day  and  night, 

Limpid,  joyous,  pure  and  bright. 

The  prince  of  Evil  from  below 

Cannot  retard  the  onward  flow 

Of  God's  great  wave  that  has  set  in, 

Submerging  continents  of  sin. 

The  race  of  kings,  like  Pharao's  host 

Beneath  that  tidal  wave  is  lost, 

And  grasping  Greed  and  Avarice  drown 

And  War  and  Poverty  go  down  ; 

But  Love,  Equality  and  Peace 

Shall  bless  for  aye  the  human  race. 

True  Christianity  restored, 

Mammon  no  longer  is  adored — 

All  in  one  common  brotherhood, 

The  good  of  all  the  greatest  good — 

Self-abnegation  is  the  leaven 

To  metamorphose  Hell  to  Heaven, 

Transform  this  world  of  selfishness 

Into  a  Paradise  of  bliss, 

A  Christian  community — 

Declaim  against  it  Pharisee! 

'Twas  Selfishness  deprived  of  life 

Both  Ananias  and  his  wife — 

It  is  the  same  to-day  as  then 

(I  speak  as  unto  Christian  men) 

'Tis  Selfishness  keeps  back  a  part — 

Why,  why  conceive  it  in  thy  heart 


IOWA.  65 

To  lie  unto  the  Holy  Ghost? 
Thus  life,  O  selfish  soul,  is  lost ! 
No  life  has  he  who  lives  for  pelf; 
No  life  has  he  who  worships  Self — 
Immortal  life  is  his  who  dies 
For  other's  good  a  sacrifice — 
While  duty  is  a  sacred  word, 
While  to  dishonor  death's  preferred, 
While  country,  home  and  flag  are  dear, 
While  dims  an  eye  the  patriot's  tear, 
Thou'lt  be  remembered,  Kinsman. 
Of  Iowa's  twenty  thousand  braves 
That  rest  in  honored  patriots'  graves, 
None  had  a  larger  heart  that  thine  ; 
While  Iowa's  glorious  sun  shall  shine 
Thou'lt  be  remembered,  Kinsman. 
And  Oh,  I  see  the  time  quite  near 
When  Selfishness  shall  disappear  ! 
When  each  shall  live  and  act  as  though 
He  were  unto  himself  a  foe — 
So  great  his  philanthropic  zeal, 
So  wedded  to  the  Commonweal, 
As  Kinsman  gave  his  life,  his  all, 
Responsive  to  his  country's  call, 
So  ever  has  Divinity 
Incarnate  in  Humanity, 
'Mid  scenes  of  suffering  and  sin, 
Displayed  its  heavenly  origin. 
The  "better  nature"  will  control, 


66  IOWA. 

In  time  at  hand,  the  human  soul, 
The  lion  with  the  lamb  shall  dwell, 
As  old  time  prophesies  foretell. 
The  darkest  hour  (so  sages  say) 
Is  just  before  the  dawn  of  day ; 
Before  the  Negroe's  shackles  fell, 
Gross  darkness  and  the  rebel  yell! 
Now  intense  darkness  shades  our  eyes 
Veiling  the  planetary  skies — 
The  few  grow  rich  the  many  poor 
And  tramps  are  dogged  from  every  door 
The  millionaire  would  have  his   word 
And  e'en  his  very  whisper  heard, 
And  Congress  bow  before  his  nod 
And  Presidents  cry  "Gould  is  God!" 
It  cannot  last;  it  must  not  stand; 
No  autocrat  shall  rule  this  land; 
He  would  as  well  attempt  to  force 
The  Mississippi  from  her  course. 
The  Freedom  that  the  Fathers  sought 
Is  pillowed  on  the  common  thought 
And  rests  secure  as  Warren's  fame 
And  Washington's  immortal  name: 
The  world  will  not  have  long  to  wait — 
Hear  Iowa  greet  a  sister  State: 

IOWA  TO  CALIFORNIA AN  ODE  OF    lS/8. 

O'er  sovereign  States 
The  slimy  things — 


IOWA.  67 


Huge  railroad  ring's 
And  syndicates — 
Reign  cruel  kings. 
Hail,  California! 

Toilers,  dethrone 

Those  ghouls  of  greed! 

It  is  .decreed 
That  ye  alone 

Are  kings  indeed. 
Hail,    California ! 

O'er  work,  well  done 

Rejoice  O  State ; 

Exult  elate — 
Swing  glad  upon 

Thy  golden  gate  ! 
Hail,  California! 

They  spurn  the  yoke 
Who  plow  and  plod  ; 
They  give  the  nod — 

Thy  people  spoke 
The  voice  of  God  ! 
Hail,  California! 

Now  cheer  on  cheer  ! 

Green,  green's  thy  tree 

Of  Liberty, 
And  God  is  near 


68  IOWA. 

To  aid  the  free  ! 
Hail,  California  ! 

Not  long  will  blindness  hide  from  view 
The  rights  of  all  and  shield  the  few — 
Not  long  the  people  now  betrayed 
Will  bide  the  bonded  debt  unpaid  ; 
While  billions  from  the  toilers  rung, 
Are  to  the  ravenous  usurers  flung. 
What  agent  moves  with  mightier  force 
Than  lightning  in  its  downward  course? 
Almighty  thought  divinely  wrought — 
Invincible  immortal  thought ! 
The  subtilest  agent  God  has  given  ; 
The  grain  of  mustard  seed,  the  leaven, 
The  Kingdom  of  the  Christ  from  Heaven. 
Say  what  you  will,  talk  as  you  may, 
We  see  the  dawning  of  the  day — 
The  day  that  sets  all  labor  free 
Establishing  Equality ; 
For  labor  now  Ifts  up  her  head 
As  if  awakened  from  the  dead, 
And  her  edict  has  gone  forth 
Over  all  the  mundane  earth : 

THE  EDICT  OF  LABOR. 

Let  the  laws  no  longer  say 

"You  must  work  and  he  may  play" 

What  my  own  hard  hands  produce 


IOWA  69 

Shall  be  sacred  to  my  use; 

The  sweat  of  thine  own  face  (as  said 

In  Holy  Writ)  shall  give  thee  bread, 

But  the  helpless  must  be  fed; 

The  aged  and  the  little  ones 

Asking  bread  must  not  get  stones 

Ah,  never  call  it  "charity," 

The  bread  that  is  theirs  rightfully — 

Rightfully  'tis  theirs  to  live; 

Rightfully  'tis  ours  to  give 

Millions  to  support  the  poor — 

Not  a  cent  for  tribute  more — 

Tribute  to  monopoly 

And  accursed  Usury. 

All  the  bounteous  gifts  bestowed 

By  the  gracious  hand  of  God, 

Gifts  like  water,  land  and  air, 

All  mankind  may  equal  share ; 

That  which  Toil  does  not  create 

Is  too  all  men  consecrate : 

No  one  may  monopolize 

The  manna  given  from  the  skies; 

All  that  God  in  kindness  gives 

Belongs  to  each  alike  that  lives — 

Let  the  laws  no  longer  say  : 

"You  must  work  and  he  may  play." 

Soon  the  battle  will  begin 
Gainst  the  giant  powers  of  Sin; 
See  the  cause  of  God  succeed ! 


/o  IOWA. 

Righteousness  will  conquer  Greed  ; 

Private  wealth  will  be  unknown 

In  the  day  that  hastens  on — 

Private  capital  no  more 

Shall  enslave  the  toling  poor ; 

All  the  land  will  then  be  tilled 

By  the  owners  of  the  field  ; 

Their  own  hands  will  plow  and  sow; 

Their  own  hands  will  reap  and  mow — 

Soon  will  perish  Tenantry; 

Rent  will  die  with  Usury; 

Soon  each  man  a  home  shall  have; 

On  his  own  proud  acre  live ; 

Soon  in  cities  (Sin's  retreats) 

Grass  will  grow  upon  the  streets  ; 

Where  now  millionaires  reside 

There  will  owls  securely  hide  ; 

And  the  serpent  and  the  toad 

There  will  find  a  fit  abode. 

No  longer  will  palatial  domes 

Look  proudly  down  on  humbler  homes- 

Every  patriot  will  disdain 

To  dwell  above  the  common  plane — 

The  fundamental  law  shall  be : 

"Love,  Peace  and  Uniformity." 

The  greatest — the  most  truly  blest — 

Will  be  the  servant  of  the  rest — 

The  Godlike  man  whose  noble  mind 

Reaches  farthest  toward  his  kind — 


IOWA. 

The  father  of  the  fatherless  ; 
The  widow's  helper  in  distress. 

Mark  the  working  of  the  bee, 
Fittest  type  of  Industry, 
How  according  to  fixed  plan 
(Learn  a  lesson  here,  O  man!) 
Does  she  build  her  waxen  cell, 
And  she  builds  the  structure  well. 
Now  is  Nature's  lesson  taught 
In  the  works  the  bee  has  wrought; 
Thus  within  the  human  hive, 
All  alike  may  build  and  thrive — 
None  be  rich  and  none  be  poor  ; 
All  partakers  of  the  store — 
Each  his  part  assigned  to  do ; 
Each  to  Nature's  laws  as  true — 
Institution  will  bring  forth 
Eden  of  the  Fertile  earth — 
Justice  will  be  brought  about 
When  the  drones  are  driven  out. 

Put  your  hands  together,  then ; 
Think  and  act,  O  working  men  ! 
Think  what  great  Lycurgus  did 
For  Sparta  in  an  age  of  blood ; 
Remember,  too,  our  patriots  dead 
And  all  they  bravely  did  and  said ; 
The  glorious  charter  that  they  won 
The  deed  drawn  up  by  Jefferson 


72  IOWA. 

Proclaiming  man's  equality 
A  promise  of  what  was  to  be — 
What  was  to  be  but  is  not  yet, 
A  sun  to  rise  and  never  set 
When  man  shall  find  his  highest  good 
And  cease  to  shed  his  brothers'  blood 
And  build  a  state  that  will  eclipse 
The  promise  of  the  Apocalypse. 
For  what  they  nobly  did  and  said 
Give  honor  to  the  patriot  dead. 


A  HYMN  TO  THE  DEAD. 

We  see   the  dead;  we    know  them — touch  their 
hands; 

While  they  enfold  us  in  their  loving  arms — 
Obey  theirvoic.es;  list  to  their  commands — 

It  is  their  fire  our  freezing  bodies  warms — 
'Tis  theirs  all  that  we  have,  whatever  stands, 

Endures,  is  valued,  benefits  or  charms, 
The  dead  bestowed  upon  us  in  their  lives  : 
Lay  earth  to  earth,  what  is  it  still  sui*vives? 

The  good  that  they  have  done — this,  this  is  ours  : 

It  stands  eternal  and  will  not  fall  down — 
But  name  the  good   they've    done — built    Babel 

towers  ? 

Acquired    on  fields    of  blood,  the    conquerors 
crown  ? 


IOWA.  73 

Wrenched  states  from  states  and  added  powers  to 

powers  ? 

And  filled   the  world    with  woe    and  their   re 
nown? 

Not  so,  not  so — a  grander  work  they  did, 
More  lasting  than  the  firmest  Pyramid. 

Ah,  to  the  dead  we  owe  all  that  we  have ! 

Our  institutions  and  inventions  all — 
Without  their  work  none  would  be  living  save 

The  acorn-eating  savages.     The  wall 
Betwixt  the  living  and  the  dead — the  grave — 

Hides  nothing  from  us  that  we  would  recall — 
The  living  are  afar — the  dead  are  near; 
The  living  are  unseen;  the  dead  appear. 

All  that  have  fallen  for  their  country's  sake — 
They  stand  before    us  in  our  glorious    laws — 

The  saints  that  graced  the  scaffold  and  the  stake 
They  live  immortal  in  the  people's  cause ; 

'Tis  only  by  the  self-sacrifice  we  break 

The  powers  of  evil  and  win  God's  applause — 

His  workers  toil  and  suffer  and  expire; 

And  they  alone  are  bidden:  "Come  up  higher." 

Lo  !  future  Iowa  we  see, 
The  ripened  fruit  upon  the  tree 
Planted  by  the  Deity. 
Mightily  the  tree  has  grown 


74  IOWA. 

In  the  countless  ages  gone  ; 

Its  blossoms — what  a  grand  array 

Have  opened  in  this  later  day ! 

Sure  promise  of  a  bounteous  store, 

Of  luscious  fruit  forevermore. 

At  Wilson's  Creek,  Iowa  made 

Herself  a  name  that  cannot  fade; 

And  her  undaunted  bravery  won 

To  Union  flag  Fort  Donelson 

On  Shiloh's  mournful  field  she  stood, 

Her  garments  soaked  with  her  own  blood, 

Her  bravest  sons  in  hundreds  fall 

By  shot  and  shell  and  mmnie  ball; 

At  Corinth  and  luka  hear 

From  Iowa  boys  the  victor's  cheer; 

Port  Gibson,  Raymond,  Champion  Hill, 

Black  River  Bridge,  and  grander  still, 

Above  the  clouds  with  Hooker,  caught 

Foretaste  of  glory  as  they  fought ! 

But,  oh,  the  fratricidal  strife, 

Where  brother  seeks  a  brother's  life  ! 

Let,  let  me  not  be  understood 

To  claim  that  war  can  be  a  good. 

It  is  unmitigated  sin; 

Nor  are  they  conquerors  who  win ; 

It  is  a  serpent,  (poets  write), 

That  perishes  of  its  own  bite  ; 

('T  is  taught  us  in  the  Sacred  Word, 

Trfy  perish  thus  that  take  the  sword ;) 

Yet  men  display  on  fields  of  war 


IOWA.  75 

The  qualities  that  in  themare, — 
Exalted  bravery,  fortitude, 
Self-sacrifice  for  other's  good, — - 
And  in  these  qualities  we  see 
Sure  promise  of  what  is  to  be, 
When  love  shall  rule  and  man  be  free. 


THE  PROMISE. 

In  halls  where  Peace  rejoiced, 

Voiced 

By  happy  swains, 
In  sweet  refrains, 
And  golden  strains, 

Bombs  burst ! 

In  halls, — places  of  prayer, 

Where, 

Devoutly  heard 
Was  the  Word 
Of  the  Lord, 

Bombs  burst! 

Lo  !  "Wars  shall  be  no  more!" 

O'er 

Seas  of  tears, 
Through  countless  years 
Faith's  star  appears ! 

Bombs  burst ! 


76  IOWA. 

Now  Love  and  Progress  speak, — 

Shriek: — 
"  The  time  is  near 
When  human  ear 
Shall  cease  to  hear 

Bombs  burst !  " 

Peace  would  have  smiled  in  '61, 

Had  but  the  people's  will  been  done; 

Yes,  had  their  voice  been  fairly  heard, 

Rust  would  have  gnawed  the  hateful  sword  ; 

But  demon  Madness  ruled  the  hour 

Begot  of  Greed  and  Lust  of  Power. 

It  was  the  few  of  shameless  cheek, — 

Base  robbers  of  the  poor  and  weak, — 

That  they  might  count  their  chattel  slaves, 

Forced  millions  to  nnti  aely  graves. 

The  Muse  of  History  will  write  : — 

"  The  rich  man's  war,  the  poor  man's  fight !  " 

Be  it  proclaimed  and  understood, 

War  never  seeks  the  people's  good ! 

Her  baneful  name  let  them  abhor ; 

All  slavery  is  a  state  of  war ; 

For  tyranny's  sustained  by  force; 

Proclaim  it,  War's  the  giant  curse! 

With  soldiery  all  Europe  swarms, — 

Four  million  sons  of  toil  in  arms ! 

O  sons  of  toil,  unite!  unite! 

Throw  down  your  arms,  and  cease  to  fight ! 

What  helpless  and  what  hopeless  things 


IOWA.  77 

Without  you,  are  the  race  of  kings  ! 
But  hark!  a  song  of  triumph  hear, — 
Its  joyful  accents  ring  out  clear; 
'Tis  Labor  voices  now  a  cry 
That  mounts  exultant  to  the  sky. 


A  SONG  OF  LABOR. 

Labor  will  triumph,  boys — no  one    can  doubt  it, 

men  ; 

We  are  all  brothers,  we  children  of  toil — 
We  will  be  slaves  no  more  ;  loud  let  us  shout  it, 

then; 

But  will  be  freemen,  we  sons  of  the  soil  ! 
All  will  be  joy  and  peace  ; 
Wars  and  oppressions  cease, 
Since  we  will  butcher  our  brotheisno  more — 
Now  every  wound  we  stanch  ; 
Hold  out  the  olive  branch 
To  every  toiler  upon  every  shore! 

Labor  makes  all  the  guns;  Labor   must   handle 

them; 

Labor  mans  all  the  ships  on  the  high  seas ; 
Why  do  we  fight  for  kings  ?    Why  do  we  dandle 

them 

Like  mewling  babies  upon  our   rough  knees? 
How  will  the  kings  and  lords 
Manage  the  guns  and  swords 


78  IOWA. 

When  the  hard-handed,  the  ninety--and-nine 

All  of  us  break  our  ranks, 

Bowing  the  kings  our  thanks 
Shout  back :     "We,    guns,   drums    and   banners 
resign ! 

The  world    a   republic,    boys !     Grandly   united 

men ; 

The  millions  are  guided  by  love  and  not  hate — 
They  dwell  in  the  sunshine  of  peace  all  delighted, 

then; 
No  poor   and    no  rich  and    the  meek    are   the 

great ! 

Brothers  and  working  men, 
Give  us  your  hands  again  ! 
Now  we  are  happy  and  ever  shali  be  : — 
On  to  the  Rhine !     We  say 
Prune  now  the  vine  we  may ; 
We  plant  and  we  dwell   'neath  our   vine  and    fig 
tree! 

The  land  is  the    people's,   boys  !   Railroads    and 

telegraphs ; — 

Giant  Monopoly  yields  up  the  ghost ! 
See   old    king    Gold  is    dead!  loudly   the    toiler 

laughs ! 

Who  now  by  labor  will  save  up  the  most? 
Dead  is  king  Alcohol 
Poverty,  crime  and  all — 
No  use  for  gibbets  for  jails  or  police — 


IOWA.  79 

Here  is  fair  play,  my  boys ; 
Shout  it  and  make  a  noise; 
Labor  has  triumphed  and  man  is  at  peace ! 

But  patriots  all  be  on  your  guard; 
One  kind  of  devils  go  out  hard — 
And  Greed  and  Tyranny  and  War 
Among  this  kind  of  devils  are. 
The  framers  of  our  written  law 
The  danger  to  our  peace  foresaw  ; 
And  early  mide  provision  strong 
To  guard  against  the  threatened  wrong 
Declared  in  language  grandly  plain 
That  standing  armies  are  our  bane. 
They  gnaw  upon  the  nation's  health  ; 
They  bite  and  tear  the  Commonwealth. 
Despite  of  all  our  fathers  said 
The  serpent  raises  high  its  head; 
An  army  is  equipped  and  paid 
And  "soldiering"  becomes  a  trade. 
"Militia"  of  our  fathers'  plan 
Counts  every  able-bodied  man; 
The  people  learned  the  use  of  arms 
To  guard  their  families  and  farms; 
For  treacherous  Indians  blind  to  law 
Filled  peaceful  settlements  with  awe — 
While  we've  the  ballot  and  the  sword 
Whose  word  is  law?    The  people's  word! 
But  why  have  we  arrayed  to-day 
A  host  of  soldiers  under  pay  ? 


80  IOWA. 

Why  do  we  now  so  violate 

The  Constitution  of  our  State  ? 

When  these  have  power  to  overawe 

The  people  then  the  Sword  is  law ! 

The  "enemy  hath  scattered  tares" 

Who  for  pretention   makes  long   prayers — 

But  who  is  he?     The  millionaires  ! 

So  ravenous  for  wealth  and  power 

E'en  ''widow's  houses  they  devour." 

These  ghouls  let  all  just  men  contemn 

As  scorned  by  Christ  of  Bethlehem ! 

The  guilty  lay  awake  all  night 

Quaking  with  terror  and  affright; 

Just  so  these  heartless  robbers  quake 

Fearing  the  people  may  awake 

To  right  their  wrongs  and  vengance  take : 

Therefore  they  frame  a  tyrant  law 

To  keep  the  "dangerous  class"  in  awe — 

Framed  with  a  deep  and  dark  design 

For  one  to  rule  the  ninety-nine. 

The  master  formerly  was  "  lash" — 

Who  would  be  master  now^  King  "  Cash  !"" 

This  king  now  speaks  and  says  : — 

"My  will 

Is  that  the  people  shall  not  drill ! 
Place  'Constitution'  on  the  shelf, 
Lest  Labor — wronged — protect  herself,. 
A  sleek,  select,  'Praetorian  Band' 
Shall  be  the  guardians  of  the  land, 


IOWA,  81 

To  put  down  strikes,  and  charge  and  kill 

The  starving  working  men,  at  will; 

Because  'tis  clear,  the  laboring  mass 

Is  now  become  a  'dangerous  class/ 

As  were  the  blacks  when  old  John  Brown 

At  Harper's  Ferry  won  renown, — . 

Had  these  been  armed,  'tis  plain,  the  yoke 

Of  slavery  at  once  they'd  broke, — 

We  must  have  troops  held  under  pay 

To  keep  the  laboring  class  at  bay." 

Plain  words  are  these — their  meaning  clear — 

May  every  freeman  hark  and  hear! 

Above  the  people  now  behold 

A  class  most  insolent  and  bold : 

See  Legislatures,  bought  and  sold ! 

The  railroad  magnate  spreads  his  tent 

Right  in  our  halls  of  government; 

The  banking  Syndicate  a  God — 

He  shakes  his  locks  and  gives  the  nod — 

From  Saratoga  thunders  forth 

His  mandates  to  the  mundane  earth — 

The  mass  asleep;  their  rights  the  sport 

Of  Congress,  President  and  Court 

So  venal  as  would  put  to  shame 

E'en  Arnold  of  unhappy  fame ! 

Why,  why  asleep?    The  cruel  strife 

Had  almost  quenched  the  nation's  life  ; 

And  who  can  wonder,  at  its  close 

If  tired  Nature  sought  repose  ? 

Reaction  follows  action  sure 

6 


$2  IOWA. 

In  all  we  do  and  ail  endure  : 

Now  slimy  reptiles  noiseless  creep 

And  bleed  their  victim  in  his  sleep — 

But  hark!    Who  speaks  the  warning  word? 

Oh  be  the  Patriot's  warning  heard ! 

THE  PATRIOT'S  WARNING. 

Beware,  beware 
The  millionaire  ! 
He  "all  in  all,"  puffed  up  with  pride — 

The  Constitution  and  the  laws 
See,  see  him  bound  to  override 
Making  no  pause! 

Beware,  beware ! 
The  millionaire 
With  tyrant  hand  struck  Freedom  down 

In  her  first  home,  in  her  first  home ! 
She  sank  and  left  but  the  renown 
Of  Greece  and  Rome  ! 

Beware,  beware 
The  millionaire! 
A  deadly  foe,  a  deadly  foe 

To  thee,  O  working  man,  to  thee 
Will  pause  not  till  he  overthrow 
Our  Liberty ! 

Beware,  beware 
The  millionaire! 
Ah,  one  by  one  our  rights  are  blown 


IOWA.  83, 

*• 

Blown  to  the  wind,  blown  to  the   wind — 
Philistines  fill  the  Judges'  throne, 
And  Samson  blind! 

'Tis  not  the  form  that  we  commend 
Of  government — but  'tis  its  end: 
If  it  be  dubbed  "democracy" 
And  fosters  aristocracy 
What  is  it  but  black  tyranny  ? 
Ift  looks  to  "payments"  and  to  "rents" 
'Tis  hatefullest  of  governments — 
1ft  seeks  to  build  up  happy  homes 
Men  cry  with  joy  :  "The  Savior  comes  ! 
This  is  the  New  Jerusalem — 
Our  King  is  Christ  of  Bethlehem !" 
Who  dare  invade  the  hallowed  dome 
'That  holy  place,  the  humblest  home? 
Who  desecrate  the  sacred  place  ? 
The  holiest  of  holies  who  deface  ? 
Pull   down    the    home — the  straw-thatched 

shed 

More  sacred. than  the  tombs  of  the  dead  ? 
Of  tyranny  beware,  beware  ; 
iHe  has  no  heart,  the  millionaire! 

Four  million  chattel  slaves  released 
Their  cry  of  agony  has  ceased — 
It  was  a  struggle  that  the  men 
Who  saw  it  would  not  see  again — 
A  victory  for  Labor  won; 
.But  still  the  convict  must  go  en  ; 


84  IOWA. 

Eternal  vigilance  will  be 
Ever  the  price  of  liberty; 
For  freedom  is  not  adamant, 
But  only  a  most  tender  plant 
That  must  be  kept  with  watchful  care 
Lest  blight  destroy  or  wintry  air. 
Much  has  been  done,  much  is  to  do- 
"  Before  the  promised  land  we  view — 
Every  form  of  cruelty 
Is  a  form  of  tyranny — 
End  cruelty  of  every  form 
And  Tyranny  you  thus  disarm. 
When  we  have  reached  the  true  confine^ 
Of  freedom  we  hold  man  divine ; 
Then  prisons  change  their  rigid  rules 
And  are  converted  into  schools ; 
The  gallows  (that  most  foul  disgrace 
Of  nations  and  the  human  race) 
Will  pass  away  as  has  the  cross 
And  no  one  ever  mourn  its  loss. 
The  aim  of  human  law  has  been 
To  kill  the  sinner,  not  the  sin; 
He  that  no  sin  has  ever  known 
May  at  the  sinner  cast  a  stone  ; 
The  ninety-nine  upon  safe  ground 
Seek  for  the  one  lost  sheep  till  found 
And  when  'tis  found  gladly  restore 
The  wanderer  to  the  fold  once  more — 
John  Howard  and  Eliz'beth  Fry 
We  hold  in  grateful  memory — 


IOWA  85 

The  poison  of  the  soul  remove 

By  surest  antidote — by  love; 

"Tis  love  will  melt  the  hardest  heart 

And  force  foul  demons  to  depart — 

Lift  up  the  fallen  one — restore 

Her  to  an  upright  walk  once  more; 

The  magic  power  of  love  is  seen — 

Rejoice  O  Mary  Magdalene! 

Ten  thousand  doors  now  open  wide 

To  bring  thee  to  the  Saviour's  side ; 

Thousands  of  thousands  seek  thy  good 

The  universal  sisterhood — 

Mankind  a  true  fraternity, 

Humanity  one  family, 

Benighted  one,  abandon  thee  ! 

No  never,  while  still  glows  the  gem 

Of  night,  the  Star  of  Bethlehem  ; 

No  never,  while  the  Sun  divine 

Of  Righteousness  our  day  shall  shine, 

O  Son  of  God  and  Son  of  Man ! 

No  inspiration 's  higher  than 

Thy  life!  Immortal  Energy, 

Invincible  as  Deity! 

Unfolding  lovely  leaf  and  bloom, 

Enshrined  in  emblematic  tomb : — 

The  leaf  of  hope,  the  bloom  of  love, 

Graft  from  the  Tree  of  Life  above. 

No  written  message  didst  thou  pen,    . 

J3ut  emphasized  one  word  to  men — 

Thy  lite  the  emphasis ;  the  word 


86  IOWA. 

(Above  the  written  one  preferred,) 
The  word  is  "LovE,"  which  prophets  saw- 
Dethrone  ('fulfill')  the  bloody  "Law;" 
Now,  only  thy  command  remains, 
(It  all  the  written  law  contains, 
Makes  every  man  on  earth  our  brother,) 
Thy  great  command,  "Love  one  another  f' 
Love  brethren  only,  what  reward? 
He  loves  all  men  who  loves  the  Lord. 
Bright  on  the  banner  of  our  cause, 
Read,  "Love  engraven  on  the  laws  T 
The  Sermon  on  the  Mount  behold, 
In  letters  brighter  far  than  gold, 
Made,  by  the  people's  stern  command, . 
The  "Constitution"  ot  the  land. 
It  must  be  written  in  our  laws  : 
"No  slavery  for  any  cause!" 
See  convict  slaves  farmed  out  to  Craig,. 
While  their  families  starve  or  beg. 
Pay  then  wages — tair  return 
For  all  they  do  and  all  they  earn; 
Deprived  of  liberty — confined — 
They  can  no  longer  hirm  mankind  ; 
Now  let  us  point  them  to  the  road 
That  leads  to  righteousness  and  God,. 
The  cause  of  sin  must  be  assigned 
To  wrong  ideas  in  the  mind — 
Remove  the  wrong  ideas  and  Saul 
At  once  is  transformed  into  Paul — 
Put  Cruelty  cannot  remove 


IOWA.  87 

The  wrong  ideas — only  Love  ! 

A  physician  for  the  sick ; 

Tender  nursing  for  the  weak.. 

Man  never  falls  so  low  that  he 

May  not  arise  to  dignity — 

An  heir  of  God;  joint  heir  with  Christ 

Who  for  our  sins  was  sacrificed. 

Where  lies  the  blame  for  all  the  crime 

That  so  disgraces  now  our  time  ? 

It  rests  upon  society — 

It  rests  upon  community ; 

Community  owes  every  child 

An  education  that  will  build 

Into  the  edifice  designed 

The  structure  of  the  heart  and  mind; 

"As  bent  the  twig  the  tree's  inclined."" 

Those  slums  of  poverty  and  greed 

(The  pestilential  cities)  breed 

Infection  in  the  atmosphere 

That  grows  more  deadly  year  by  year — 

"Street  Arabs"  never  out  of  sight — 

Goods-boxes  shelter  them  at  night — 

Misfortune's  "Children  in  the  Wood"' 

Dying  of  cold  and  want  cf  food ; 

Oh,  gather  in  the  little  ones, 

Nor  feed  them  serpents  and  hard  stones! 

See  now  the  Priest  pass  by  in  pride ; 

The  Levite  on  the  other  side — 

Who  is  the  tender-hearted  man? 

Who  is  the  good  Samaritan  ? 


88  IOWA. 

Say  'tis   the   State — the    Commonwealth — 
Shall  give  them   food — restore  their  health  ; 
Shall  fold  them  in  her  sheltering  arms; 
Her  roof  protect  from  angry  storms  ! 
Time  hurries  by ;  these  little  ones 
Grow  up  to  be  her  stalwart  sons ; 
Support  her  when  her  locks  are  gray — 
Her  love  with  gratitude  repay  ! 

The  Old  is  dead!     Gladly  we  view 
The  rising  glory  of  the  New ! 
Now  when  Zone  answers  to  Zone 
By  telegraph  and  telephone 
And  the  Desert  hears  the  scream 
Of  the  moster  belching  steam, 
It  is  a  fact  all  must  perceive — 
Perceiving  it  all  must  believe: 
The  methods  that  bore  fruit  of  yore 
Will  blossom  in  this  world  no  more. 
A  ukase  Progress  has  decreed 
From  which  mankind  cannot  recede, 
That: 

'"In  anaga  waen  Church  and  State 
Are  wide  divorced  and  separate, 
The  State  must  not  attempt  to  shirk, 
But  carry  on  the  mighty  work 
The  Church  so  worthily  began 
To  mitigate  the  woes  of  man." 
The  "Sisters" — none   but  thee,  good    Lord, 
Can  give  them  adequate  reward! 


IOWA.  89 

The  foundling's  and  the  orphan's  shield; 
The  soldier's  bleeding  from  the  field. 

Old  means  no  longer  adequate, 
It  has  devolved  upon  the  State, 
With  "Charity"  kept  out  of  sight 
To  give  the  helpless  "natural  right." 
Man's  natural  rights !  With  pointed  dart 
Engrave  it  on  the  hardest  heart, 
And  every  freeman,  too,  give  ear 
And  he  that  is  the  deafest  hear : 
If  law  and  justice  were  the  same, 
Then  law  could  have  no  other  aim 
Than  to  enforce  these  rights  and  give 
Tlieir  benefits  to  all  that  live ; 
And  when  so  done,  as  God  designed 
The  State  becomes  "eyes  to  the  blind, 
Feet  to  the  lame"— the  helpless  all 
Upon  her  as  a  mother  call — 
Are  by  her  fondled  and  caressed 
As  infants  nourished  at  the  breast. 
To  criminals  are  given,  too, 
The  right  of  reclamation  due  : 
The  State  is  arbiter  of  both 
Their  mental  and  their  moral  growth. 
All  pains  and  penalties  have  failed 
Since  Jesus  to  the  cross  was  nailed — 
Failed  signally.     The  end  designed 
They  never  reach — the  victim's  mind ; 
Kor  can  the  point  be  put  too  strong 


90  IOWA. 

That  pains  and  penalties  are  wrong-, 

Can  we  by  freezing  soften  wax? 

Or  split  the  ocean  with  an  axe  ? 

Pains  even  of  the  least  degree, 

Proclaim  existing  Tyranny  ; 

And  fines  are  only  robbery  : 

A  sot  before  the  Court  is  led 

And  fined — his  children  cry  for  bread  ; 

The  law  can  break  the  drunkard's  cup 

And  thus  can  make  him  give  it  up — 

Destroy  the  rattlesnake  and  then 

'Twill  surely  never  bite  again  ! 

What  devil,  Christian  England,  say, 

Has  drugged,  with  opium,  Cathay  ? 

Put  down  the  trade!  Oh,  burning  shame  I 

Out,  damned  spot  upon  thy  name  ! — 

Pile  opium  in  heaps  around 

And  opium  eaters  will  abound  ; 

While  alcohol  in  rivers  runs, 

Columbia  mourns  her  perished  sons  ! 

O  Alcohol  !  Thou  demon  fell 

As  ever  left  the  court  of  Hell ! 

May  all  the  Wrath  and  Hate  and  Scorn,. 

That  ever  were  conceived  and  born, 

Be  armed  against  thy  hateful  life 

With  sharpened  spe.ir  and  poison  knife, 

And  may  thy  cruel  heart  soon  feel 

The  vengeful  bite  of  hungry  steel  ! 

But  woman  !   \Vh-jn  thy  voice  is  heard 

The  fiend  will  vanish  at  a  word — 


IOWA.  91; 

It  will  be  heard  !  At  thy  command 

See  now  the  demon  quit  the  land  ! 

And  e'en  the  army's  guns  and  noise 

Are  silenced  by  thy  gentle  voice  : 

Not  in  tempest,  not  in  flame, 

Not  in  earthquake  ;  but  there  came 

To  Horeb  where  Elijah  stood 

"A  still  small  voice" — the  voice  of  God!. 

But  lo !  the  sun  is  risen  high 
And  shines  resplendent  in  mid  sky — 
Thy  Poet's  blessing  with  thee  dwell, 
O  lovely  Stream  !  and  now  farewell !. 

HUNTERS  RIDGE  December,  1831. 


LINES. 

God  is  our  only  King ; 

Let  us  in  gladness  sing, — 
Shout  on  the  land  and  sea 

Union  and  Liberty! 

We  will  deal  justly,  then, 
As  becomes  noble  men  ; 

Shout  on  the  land  and  sea 
Union  and  Charity. 

God  is  our  only  King ; 

Let  us  His  praises  sing, — 
Shout  on  the  land  and  sea 

Union  and  Victory. 


POEMS 
OF  THE   PRESENT. 

(1882-3.) 


Whatever  is  personal  in  the  following  pieces  is 
.aimed  only  at  public  men,  "  makers  of  history"  (as 
the  assassins  of  Cavendish  and  Burke  in  Ireland, 
styled  themselves.)  A  great  master  of  English  song 
has  said:  "A  poet  is  justified  in  writing  against  a 
particular  person  when  that  person  becomes  a  public 
nuisance."  Can  there  be  a  greater  "public  nuisance" 
than  is  the  hired  assassin  of  his  country's  liberty? — 
than  is  the  venal  attorney  who  for  a  fee  becomes  the 
procurator  of  Satan  on  earth,  bribed  to  attempt  the 
defeat  of  the  establishment  of  Christ's  kingdom  of 
temperance  sobriety,  and  righteousness  amongst  men  ? 

It  is  customary  with  many  of  our  American  poets 
to  go  to  foreign  lands  for  themes.  Two  of  the  follow 
ing  pieces  have  reference  to  the  war  in  Egypt;  but  to 
day,  the  world  is  brought  so  nearly  under  one  roof 
that  wars  are  no  longer  of  merely  local  interest.  The 
themes  chosen  by  the  author  afford  him  an  opportunity 
of  giving  expression  to  his  deep  abhorrence  of  war 
and  to  the  confident  hope  of  a  better  future  for  man 
kind.  We  are  in  the  dawn  of  a  new  era  of  civiliza 
tion— the  long-promised  reign  of  the  "Prince  of 
Peace;"  and  blessed  is  he  (or  she)  who  helps  on  its 
inauguration;  and  thrice  blessed  the  poet  who  shall 
sing  acceptably  that  golden  period.  His  is  the  song  of 
the  angels:  Peace  on  Earth;  good  will  to  men/' 
With  him  partizanship  is  lost  in  patriotism  and  secta 
rianism  in  the  religion  of  Jesus:  "love  to  God  and 
love  to  man." 


THE  OUTLOOK. 


PART  THE  FIRST. 

THE  COMING  REFORM. 

OPTIMIST,    PESSIMIST. 

"The  Earth  Imtli  he  given  to  the  children  of  men.1 
— DAVID. 

OPTIMIST. 

•Good  morning,  neighbor  Pessimist ;  why  do  you 
look  so  sour? 

Good  news  I  bring  you :  soon  will  end  accursed 
kingly  power; 

And  wars  no  more  will  scourge  the  world;  but 
blest  Equality 

Will  wed  the  lovely  angel  Peace;  and  we  shall 
live  to  see 

God's  Kingdom  set  up  in  the  earth;  the  promis 
ed  Shiloh  come, 

And  Poverty  shall  disappear.  The  glad  millen 
nium 

Will  rise  upon  us  bright  as  noon  before  you  are 
aware ; 

Then  cast  aside  your  gloomy  looks  and  trample 
on  Despair ! 


96  THE  OUTLOOK. 

PESSIMIST. 

The  end  of  kings,  kind  Optimist,  we  never  shall 
behold ; 

Prond  tyrants  bind  us  now  in  chains — king  Al 
cohol,  king  Gold. 

The  first  is  Satan  loosed  on  earth  to  reign  a  thou 
sand  years  ; 

The  beast  of  the  Apocalypse,  the  second  king 
appears. 

These  war  against  the  sons  of  men;  resistless 
is  their  power; 

The  authors  of  all  wretchedness  ;  the  helpless 
they  devour — 

No  promise  yet  of  better  things;  the  world  grows 
worse  each  year; 

A  night  of  gloom  the  future  shows  ;  no  gleams  of 
morn  appear  ; 

But  rather  darkness  visible — a  blackness  unde 
fined 

Obscures  the  hope  of  good  to  man — gross  dark 
ness  clouds  his  mind. 

The  people  are  a  race  of  fools — a  flock  of  owls 
and  bats : 

Their  wisdom  is  a  sham,  how  blind,  a  herd  of 
hungry  rats ! 

The  "piper  pipes,"  the  multitude  rush  madly- 
through  the  town, 

Till  in  the  the  sea  they  are  engulfed — behold  the 
vermin  drown  ! 


THE  OUTLOOK.  97 

•K 

A  glass  of  beer  will  buy  their  vote ;  the  states 
man,  for  a  "pass," 

Will  be  to  Gould  or  Vanderbilt  a  most  devoted 
ass. 

A  mess  of  pottage  gains  the  best;  their  birth-right 
they  resign ; 

Thus  avarice  drives  the  people  mad,  as  devils 
drove  the  swine. 

We  live  to  see  the  end  of  wars ;  see  blest  Equal 
ity! 

Behold  all  Christendom  in  arms!  An  aristoc 
racy 

Has  grown  here  in  a  score  of  years,  and  mush 
room  millionaires 

Now  seize  the  reins  of  sovereignty.  The  patriot 
despairs! 

'Tis  plausible  to  look  for  good  ?  No;  "facts  are 
stubborn  things," 

Can  hope  wipe  out  the  race  of  Knaves  ind  break 
dishonest  "rings"? 

God's  Kingdom  is  a  crazy  dream,  yet  let  him 
dream  who  will  !  . -«.. 

Such  dreams  are  sweet,  good  Optimist :  buttruth's- 
a  bitter  pill ! 

OPTIMIST. 

Methinks  your  mother  nourished  you,  dear  Pes 
simist,  on  gall ; 
Your  bump  of  hope  indeed  is  weak;  your  bump 

of  faith  is  small. 

6 


98  THE  OUTLOOK. 

a 

From  savagery  mankind  have  risen  ;    'twas  Pro 
gress  led  them  forth 
To  triumph  over  matter  and   to  conquer   all  the 

earth ; 
The  mountains  they  have  leveled  down ;  the  hills 

they  have  brought  low, 

The  law  is  :  "They  shall  conquer  still,  shall  van 
quish  every  foe." 
The  prophet  saw  the  blessed    day  ;  saw  blossom 

as  the  rose 
The  desert  of  the  human  mind  ;  and  we  may  well 

suppose 
That  he  who  tames  the  elements  and  yokes  them 

to  his  cars, 
Will  tame  his  savage  passions  too,  and   put  an 

end  to  wars. 
The  puny  tribe  of  millionaires  awhile  miy  buzz 

and  sting; 
But,  mark  me,  gloomy  Pessimist,  the  people  will 

be  king! 
The    people  are    a  mammoth    strong,    resistless 

when  they    move, 

And  progress  is  continuous  as  of  the  stars  above: 
No  going  back  ;  but  onward  still — right  onward 

in  their  course  ; 
Yea  on  and    on    forever  and  omnipotent   their 

force. 
Most  subtile   are    ideas,  friend;    though   subtile 

they  are  strong  ! 


THE  OUTLOOK.  99 

Their  fiat  is:  "Close  up  the  gates  gainst  robbery 

and  wrong." 
King   Alcohol  must  die  the    death  ;  king   Gold 

must  bow  the  knee  ; 
The  hand  that  grasps  the  thunderbolt  like  Joves, 

will  yet  be  free  ! 
.Man  will  be  free  !   Equality  will  come    to  bless 

the  Earth, 
And  Poverty  shall  disappear  and  Frecdcm  have 

new  birth. 

PESSIMIST 

Did  not  great  Rome  succumb  to  gold?  Corrup 
tion  rang  her  knell; 

Her  toilers  robbed  by  millionaires,  she  tottered 
and  she  fell! 

The  Gracchi  thought  to  stem  the  tide ;  their  ef 
forts  were  in  vain; 

The  tribunes  of  the  people  fell ;  her  patriots  were 
slain. 

The  "rich  man"  struck  the  fatal  blow;  accurst 
Monopoly 

Destroyed  the  mighty  Commonwealth  and  stran- 
•  gled  Liberty. 

The  '  ri:h  man"  knows  no  law  but  greed,  and 
governments  are  made 

An  engine  of  oppression  dire,   to  tyranny  an  aid. 

He  robs  by  law  ;  the  army  fights  to  force  the 
poor  to  yield 


ioo  THE  OUTLOOK. 

To  him  the  substance  of  their  toil,  the  products 
of  the  field, 

Thus  Ireland  now  is  overrun  with  Red-coat  sol 
diery, 

To  force  the  slaves  that  till  the  lands  again  to  bow 
the  knee. 

When  force  shall  fail  will  fraud  come  in,  assas 
sinations,  guile: 

The  rich  will  rule;  the  poor  must  serve  now,  onr 
and  all  the  while ; 

There  is  no  hope  for  him  who  toils  ;  relief  will 
be  denied; 

His  choice  must  lie  'twixt  slavery  and  and  death 
by  suicide. 

OPTIMIST. 

I  cannot  say  to  you,  my  friend,  that  you  are 
wholly  right; 

'Tis  gloomy  now  I  must  admit ;  but  day  suc 
ceeds  the  night. 

The  evils  that  cannot  be  borne  will  soon  be 
thrown  aside, 

And  then  will  rise  the  better  day  the  prophets- 
have  descried — 

That  brighter  day  shall  surely  come  when' labor 
will  combine 

And  walk  together  brothers  all,  the  mighty- 
ninety  nine — 

The  one — how  feeble  is  his  arm  when  stalwart 
Labor  strikes  ; 


THE  OUTLOOK.  101 

The  flood  pours  forth  submerging  all  since 
broken  are  the  dykes — 

The  time's  at  hand  when  shall  arise  the  flood  of 
working  men, 

And  autocrats  shall  fly  for  life  and  thrones  will 
topple  then : 

We  hear  the  mutterings  of  the  storm  ;  the  So 
cial  Democrat, 

The  Nihilist,  Trade's  Union,  all  have  issued  their 
fiat. 

Upon  a  higher  plane  of  love  the  people  take  their 
stand ; 

The  world  is  free  !  King  Gold  is  dead  and  La 
bor  owns  the  land ! 

A  bloodless  revolution  hail !  Green  Ireland  now 
behold  • 

Assume  her  former  dignity,  her   prowess   as   of 

old! 
Her  sons  have  shown   their   native   worth;  her 

daughters  have  outdone 

The  heroines  of  history — unfading  laurels   won; 
The  sword  no  longer  will  be  sought  to  right  the 

toilers'  wrongs; 
For  peaceful  means  more  potent  are  in    breaking 

Slavery's  thongs. 

PESSIMIST. 

The  toilers  they  are  brutal  dolts — a  pack  of 
senseless  curs  ! 


102  THE  OUTLOOK. 

Tobacco  is  their  daily  bread;  their  drink  is  swill;. 

Yea,  worse, 

Their  brains  are  cooked  with  alcohol ;  their  bloat 
ed  stomachs  burst — 
They  belch  and  vomit  lager  beer — of   God    they 

are  accurst! 
The  people  (I  must  speak  the  truth)  deserve  the 

blows  they  get ; 

Omnipotent  you  say  they  are,  the  drunken,  brain 
less  set! 
Like  sheep  they  lick  the  bloody  hand  that  grasps - 

the  fatal  knife; 
They  bleat  for  salt — see  mutton  chops  for  Dives^ 

and  his  wife  ! 
You  boast  of "  progress"  in  the  past ;  you  augur' 

progress  still ; 
If  it  be    progress,  friend,   alas!  that  progress   is* 

down  hill ! 
Our  fathers  stood  like    men  indeed  ;  of  them  we* 

justly  brag; 
They  fought  John  Bull;  what  do  we  now ;  Salute 

the  British  flag ! 
Such    is    the   "progress"    we    have    made;   such 

progress  soon  will  bring 
A  House  "of  Lords  and  Monarchy — longlivj  Jay 

Gould,  our  king ! 
'Tis  money  rules  !     The  people  fall  prostrate  be- 

fl  re  the  throne  ; 
Their  bread  is  gone;  the  hungry  curs  now  gladly* 

gnaw  a  bone! 


THE  OUTLOOK.  103 

OPTIMIST. 

The  drunkards  are  a   feeble  folk  ;  besotted  ones 
are  few ; 

The    multitude   are   sober,    man  !    intemperance 
they  eschew ; 

Tobacco  will  be  thrown  aside,  the  time  is  very 
near 

When  woman  by  her  gentle  voice  will  end  its 
vile  career; 

But  beer,  wine,  ale  and  alcohol  will  first  go    by 
the  board ; 

Then  opium  and  tobacco  she  will  banish  with  a 
word. 

So  take  a  happier  viewof  things,  my  very  worthy 
friend  ; 

Believe  the  time  is  near  at    hand    when   wrong- 
shall  surely  end  ; 

And  let  us  cherish  gentle  thoughts  and  -let  it  be 
our  plan 

To  build  up   human    happiness  and  free  race    of 
man. 

Another  day,  good  Pessimist,  wj  rmy   again  re 
new 

This  very  friendly  dialogue,  though  now  we   say- 
adieu. 

May  8, 1882, 


THE  OUTLOOK. 

O 

PART    THE    SECOND. 

THE  TRIUMPH  OF  MONOPOLY. 

OPTIMIST,    PESSIMIST. 
41  The  wicked  shall  not  inhabit  the  earth."— Solomon. 

OPTIMIST. 

A  happy  New  Year,  Pessimist,  how  glad  am  I 

to  see 
The  dawn  of  this  auspicious  year  eighteen  and 

eighty-three ! 
This  year  great  changes  will  be  wrought,  greater 

than  e'er  before 
Increasing  human  happiness  and  lifting  up  the 

poor, 

Until  Equality  shall  come  to  bless  on  every  hand 
And  Peace  and  Love  and  Brotherhood  prevail  in 

every  land. 

PESSIMIST. 

Facts,  facts,   sweet  friend,  hold  fast  to  facts  ;  be 
hold  the  dire  event, 


THE  OUTLOOK.  105 

Reaction  surely  setting  in.  A  "  Stalwart"  Presi 
dent 

Arrayed  against  the  common  weal ;  and  (crank 
iest  of  cranks) 

He  pettifogs  for  usurers  and  glorifies  the  banks ; 

Bewails  the  prosperous  times  we  have  and  (shame 
on  him !)  regrets 

That  Uncle  Sam  so  rapidly  is  paying  off  his 
debts!— 

A  little  while  ago  we  heard :  "  The  Greenback 
(it  does  say  it) 

'United  States  will  pay'  so  much  well  then  why 
don't  she  pay  it? 

Pay  off  the  Greenbacks,"  was  the  cry;  "let  this 
not  be  delayed ; 

They  draw  no  interest ;  but  the  bonds,  'tis  danger 
ous  if  they're  paid 

Repudiate  ?  Not  so  indeed ;  the  interest  promptly 

pay— 
The  principal — Oh  let  that  stand  until  the  judg 
ment  day!" 

OPTIMIST. 

Who  pleads  for  this  ?     A  patriot  true  that   seeks 

his  country's  good! 

A  happy  method  of  relief  (by  him  so  understood) 
The  burden    of  taxation   rests   too  heavily  just 

now 


io6  THE  OUTLOOK. 

On  those  that  moil:  "who  toil    and    spin"    and 

those  that  hold  the  plow  ; 
This  will  be  lifted  from  their  backs ;  and  men  of 

every  trade 
Will  have  more  time  to  give  to  books  and  resting. 

in  the  shade — 
This,  I  opine,  explains  the  wish    th:    President 

expressed  ; 
It  is  to  give  relief  to  toil  and  joy  to  every  breast. 

PESSIMIST. 

Our    President — with    due    respect    I  speak  the 

honored  word ; 
I  give  the  office  reverence    due:  bu':    truth — let 

that  be  heard — 
What  interest  does  he  seek  to  serve?  the  public 

interest?     Nay! 
Does  he  the  multitude  regard?  th  :  general  voice 

obey  ? 

He  is  the  tool  of  syndicates — a  F,*rv*io  sycophant 
And  hireling  agent  of  John  Bull,   !'kj  office-hux-- 

ter  Grant ; 
The  "bosses"  that  he  knuckles  t;\    it  Saratoga 

meet 
Whenever  kindly   Autumn    cor.:  ;.s    chasing  the 

Summer's  heat ; 
But  who  are  they  the  Lords  and  G  >  's  who    rulc- 

our  President 


THE  OUTLOOK.  107 

And  who,  to-day,  defacto,  are  our  boasted  "Gov 
ernment"? 

Our  Congress  sits  to  do  their  will;  it  bows  before 
their  nod  ; 

The  Khedives  rf  our  subject  State  kneel  down  to* 
kiss  the  rod ! 

'Tis  coward  England  holds  us  thus  her  tributary 
slaves ; 

We  scorn  her  armies  ;  but  her  gold  our  road    to 
bondage  paves. 

The    "burden  of  taxation''  dire  will  be  removed,,, 
alas! 

Not  from  the   toilers'  shoulders;  but  the   greedy- 
banking  class, 

The   agents  of  the  Barings  and  the    Rothchilds 
who  enthrall 

This  people,  they  will  have  their  way  and  pay  no-% 
tax  at  all. 

The  scheme  to  "  amend  the  tariff  laws"  is  for  this-- 
purpose  set, 

To  free    the  banks   from  taxes   and  prolong  our 
bonded  debt. 

Hark!  what  a  hideous  cry  we  hear  of  "surplus 
revenue;" 

While  still  the  public  debt  remains,  how  wickedly 
untrue! 

But  Lombard  street's  sole  master  here  as  well  as 
on  the  Nile, 

And  we,  enchained  by  Usury,  slaves  to  the  "pa 
rent  isle!" 


io8  THE  OUTLOOK. 

Vile   Usury !  it  wrings    from  us  the  products    of 
our  soil 

And  holds    our  farmers    bound  and   gagged  like 
Egypt's  sons  of  toil; 

The  British  Government  (the  lords,  the   aristoc 
racy) 

Has  now  in  thrall    our  working   men,  rules   our 
democracy ; 

Draws  from  us  tribute  far  beyond  the  tribute  she 
obtains 

From  all   her   Orient   provinces  and   Africa    in 
chains. 


OPTIMIST. 

You  do  not  mean   that  we,    to-day,  (as   Athens 

was  of  old) 

Are  sold  by  venal  demagogues  for  bribes  of  for 
eign  gold! 
"That  here    democracy  succumbs,    betrayed   by 

hungry  curs, 
Our    liberties  all    sacrificed  to   lust  of  gold  ;  and 

worse, 
'The  multitude  hoodwinked,  seduced,  bound  down 

with  iron  chains 
Because  they  lack  the  eyes  to  see ;  to  know  they 

lack  the  brains; 
And  England's  grown  so  wise  that  she  outflanks 

us  in  the  fight 


THE  OUTLOOK.  109 

And,  like  the  wily    Woolsey,  charges    on  us    in 
the  night, 

Surprises  us  while  fast  asleep  and  drives  us  from 
our  works, 

Then  makes  us  underlings  and  serfs,  like  Chris 
tians  are  to  Turks! 

Who  will  believe  the  tale  you  tell  ?     Who  listers. . 
to  you  croak? 

Your  arguments  are  only  bosh ;   your  fire  is  only- 
smoke! 


PESSIMIST. 

True,  true  indeed  that  Athens  fell;  fell  Freedom's: 

grand  stronghold 
And  e'en  Demosthenes  himself  took  Alexander's- 

gold; 
The  patriot  brave  whom  Philip  feared,  bore  home 

the  golden  bowl — 

Prostrate  her  leaders,  Athens  drooped  and  Free 
dom  lost  her  soul! 
How  many   a  brave    Demosthenes  succumbs   rx> 

bribery  here ! 
How  many  a  greedy  demagogue  grasped  Credit 

Mobilier! 
Decayed  and  rotten  are  the  hearts    of  our   great 

public  men — 
How  many  of  the  tried  prove   true  ?  O    say  not 

one  in  ten ! 


uio  THE  OUTLOOK. 

•-One  in  ten  thousand's  far  beyond  the  truth  when 
truth  is  told ; 

Our  blood-bought  liberty  is  lost;  bartered  for 
British  gold! 

All  public  spirit,  too,  is  dead ;  the  Patriot  is  un 
heard — 

"The  printing  press,  what  is  it,  say?  The  grave 
where  Truth's  interred ; 

And  lying  "  matter"  buys  its  place  a  hundred 
cents  a  line  ; 

Thus  "editorials  "  "patent  sides"  for  usurers  base 
ly  whine! 

The  Freedom  of  the  press  is  lost;  for  giant  Av 
arice 

Stands  over  it  with  club  in  hand  ;  he  rules  the 
printing  press. 

Tie  rules  the  courts  (the  specious  plea  of  "public 
policy" 

•'Conceals  the  bane  of  Freedom's  life,  the  wolf, 
grim  Tyranny.) 

Monopoly  is  king  to-day.  The  hateful  "  golden 
*  calf" 

Guards  all  the  avenues  of  thought;  controls  the 
telegraph — 

-Controls  the  bench,  controls  the  church,  and 
worse,  controls  the  schools. 

The  people  thus  nre  hoodwinked,  mocked,  con- 
converted  into  fools. 

Our  poor  men  are  our  patriots;  the  patriot  must 
be  poor; 


THE  OUTLOOK.  in 

For  all  the  "powers  that  be"  to-day,  they  kick 
him  from  the  door — 

The  door  to  preferment  and  bread,  to  all  employ 
and  place, 

And  public  sentiment  applauds  while  thieves  spit 
in  his  face! 

The  ragged,  hungry,  homeless  "tramp"  is  hated 
like  a  fiend; 

Train  robbers,  rogues  and  miscreants  by  public 
voice  are  screened. 

Who  were  the  "tramps"  that  wandered  forth 
millions  in  '78 

Begging  for  crumbs  from  door  to  door  and  driv 
en  from  State  to  State? 

Resumption's  victims — working  men — the  plun 
dered,  wronged,  waylaid, 

By  act  of  Congress  pauperized,  thrown  out  of 
work,  betrayed  ! 

Resumption(ukase  of  John  Bull)  a  thousand  fath 
oms  deep 

Above  the  lands  of  Uncle  Sam,  his  cattle  and 
his  sheep, 

A  sea  of  mortgages  it  spread,  and  never,  never 
more 

Our  farmers  and  our  workingmen  will  stand  upon 
the  shore; 

But  buried  deep,  a  prey  to  "sharks" — devoured 
by  British  greed — 

A  twenty  billion  mortgage  debt,  that  never  ('tis 
decreed) 


H2  THE  OUTLOOK. 

Shall  be  made  less  in  principal,  and  all  our  sur 
plus  grain 

And  pork  and  beef,  cotton  and  wool  shrewd  Eng 
land  will  obtain 

As  interest  on  our  "  honest  debt"  that  was  upon 
us  laid 

By  robber  legislation,  by  a  "  money  famine"  raid. 

Sorest  famines! — born  of  law — contraction  is  the 
bane 

Of  all  prosperity  to  toil;  it  empties  every  vein 

And  artery  of  the  nation's  life,  and,  wanting  blood 
and  breath, 

Activity  is  lost  to  her,  her  quietude  is  death  ! 

Her  factories  still,  her  workers  tramps,  impover 
ished,  begging  bread, 

Now  toll  the  bells;  bring  out  the  hearse;  Colum 
bia  is  dead! 

The  ermined  sfab  her  to  the  heart;  the  Courts 
o'erthrow  our  laws, 

The  government  is  crushed  betwixt  an  Alliga 
tor's  jaws  ! 

OPTIMIST. 

You  ever  see  the  darker  side;  Despair  leads  you 

astray. 
Do  harken  to  the  voice  of  Hope  that  shows  a 

brighter  way! 
These    hopeful    times!     Most    glorious    times  I 

change,  change  is  in  the  air! 


THE  OUTLOOK.  113 

Mark  the  awakened  public  sense,  awakened  ev 
erywhere  ! 

Immortal  deeds  will  soon  be  done  ;  the  banner  is 
unfurled 

That  will  be  borne  triumphantly  around  a  new- 
saved  world  ! 

"Progress"  inscribed  upon  its  folds  in  letters  large 
and  plain; 

This  is  the  day  that  was  foretold  for  Christ  to- 
come  again  ! 

His  blessed  presence  is  now  felt  and  soon  will  all 
mankind 

Be  close  united  by  his  Truth;  be  brethren  of  one 
mind. 

How  weak,  how  frail,  how  impotent  are  all  the 
powers  of  Wrong! 

How  mighty  is  the  cause  of  Right;  the  cause  of 
Truth,  how  strong! 

Can  British  money-mongers  hold  the  plunging 
comet  back? 

Can  half  a  score  of  millionaires  throw  Progress 
from  the  track? 

Close  all  the  avenues  of  thought;  shut  out  the 
light  of  day? 

No,  we  may  speak  by  telephone  and  thought 
will  find  a  way 

To  penetrate  the  thickest  gloom  where  Avarice 
holds  control 

8 


U4  THE  OU: 

And  shine  a   brilliant    meteor    in    every    human 

soul ; 

Yea  truth  will  flame  this  very  year  a  grand  elec 
tric  light 
That  will  abolish  from  the  earth  the    very    name 

of  night. 

Ah  "no  more  night"  "no  need  of  sun,"  the  hap 
py  day  foretold  ; 
New  light  now  shines  upon  the  world ;  the  New 

supplants  the  Old 
Our  bonded  debt  will  soon   be   paid;  our   farms 

will  soon  be  freed 
From  mortgages — the  mass  will  rise  and  strangle 

Giant  Greed: 
Columbia  cannot  be    bound   down    in    shackles 

very  long; 
She  will  arise  in    all    her   strength   and   throttle 

Giant  Wrong ! 
She  speaks — the  judges  on  the  bench  are  wise  to 

heed  her  word; 
But  now  you  say  they  would  attempt  the  role  of 

George  the  Third. 
There  is  but  one  thing  courts  may  clo;  they  have 

no  other  choice, 
Their  pathway  is  but  this  alone :     Echo  the  people's 

voice  ! 
Courts  make  our  laws;  courts  change  the  text;  a 

different  meaning  place 
Upon  the  statute  than  designed ;  the  genuine  coin 

debase ! 


THE  OUTLOOK,  115 

They  might  as  well  attempt  to  change  the  Missis 
sippi's  course; 

To  make  her  flow  from  south  to  north  and  speed 
back  to  her  source — 

America  will  have  no  King ;  the  people  are  su 
preme; 

Their  voice  will  be  her  law  as  long  as  flows  that 
giant  stream. 

A  Happy  New  Year  then  to  you  ;  to  all  on  this 
wide  earth — 

Oh  may  this  be  the  happiest  year  since  hailed  the 
Saviour's  birth 

With  gladsome  songs  the  heavenly  choir — the 
glorious  angel  bind  — 

Now  peace  to  all  and  bread  (aye,  more)  freedom 
to  every  land  I 

Jan.   U,  1883., 


THE  OUTLOOK. 

o 

PART  THE   THIRD. 

THE1YRANTS  OF  THE  GOWN, 

Ol  TL\:  1ST,    I  ESS  I. MIST. 

"  Servants  have  ruled  over us.  *  *  *  The  joy  of  our 
heart  Is  ceased ;  our  dance  in  turned  into  mourning" 
JEREMIAH. 

PESSIMIST. 

Dead,  dead  and  damned!  just  as  I  said;  the  er- 
mined  stab  our  laws; 

The  fatal  axe  has  come  down  hard  upon  the  tem 
perance  cause — 

Yea,  "dead  and  damned"  are  modest  terms  to  fit 
the  woeful  fate 

To  which  their  sovereignty  is  brought — the  peo 
ple's  once  so  great  ; 

But  now  the  State  is  Lawyer  Wrong;  the  peo 
ple  are  the  sport 

Of  railroad  kings  and  whiskey  rings  that  rule 
through  him  the  court  1 


THE  OUTLOOK.  117 

OPTIMIST. 

Tush,  tush!  You  magnify  a  niDte ;  for  Wro:ig 
his  race  has  run 

^Mongst  any  dozen  barristers  there's  many  a  great 
er  one. 

PESSIMIST. 

Not  so,  not  so;  he  now  stands  forth  King  of  the 

Iowa  bar 

And  e'en  the  judges  on  the  bench  beside  him  pig 
mies  are — 
Pigmies  forsoooth !  he  placed  them  there ;  he  gave 

them  life  and  breath 
And  o'er  them  like  a  Roma  i  sire  holds  power  of 

life  and  death. 
Those mewler  -.(sucklings)  on  the  bench  'all  honor 

to  Judge  Beck!) 
Must  knuckle  down  to  Ex-Judge  Wrong  (a  thief 

would  save  his  neck  !) 
Because  his  power's  increased  of  late,  backed  by 

the  whiskey  rings ; 
In  caucuses  omnipotent !     Almighty!     King    of 

Kings! 

OPTIMIST. 

You  certa'nly  are  mad,  my  friend ;  does  not  the 
genera*  voice 


ii8  THE  OUTLOOK. 

Secure  us  judges?  Worthy  men  raised  by  the 
common  choice 

To  honored  place,  they  guard  our  rights;  depend 
ent  on  our  will 

They  as  ourtribunesmust  be  true;  our"  royal  law 
fulfill." 

PESSIMIST. 

Your  theory  is  fair  enough,  and,  as  a  theory,  true ; 

But  then  it  melts  before  the  facts  ;  in  practice  'twill 
not  do. 

Crude,  crude  indeed  the  methods  are  by  which 
the"  people"  rule; 

The  "bosses"  are  the  government;  show  me  a 
party  tool — 

Show  me  the  king  of  caucuses  ;  show  me  the  hid 
den  "  wires" 

By  which  the  party  puppets  dance  and  I  will  show 
you  liars 

That  voice  the  party  policy — and  "policy"  's  the 
word 

That  calls  together  party  curs,  rallys  the  "  com 
mon  herd." 

The  people  bcw  to  "policy"  and  "policy"  means 
"wrong," 

That  wickedness  shall  rule  the  State;  the  weak 
shall  rule  the  strong; 

The  many  to  the  few  succumb ;  manhood  succumb 
to  wealth 


THE  OUTLOOK.  119 

The  millions  to  monopoly — thus  fails  the  public 

health! 

OPTIMIST. 
Do  you  assert  that  leadership    (or   "bossism,"    if 

you  will) 
Defeats  the  ends  of  government;  stabs  at  its  heart 

to  kill? 
Were  not  the  leaders  ("bosses")  all  consulted    in 

"  the  fight 
Against  the  "Beast,"  King  Alcohol,  when  Wrong 

succumbed  to  Right? 
Was  this  great  work  an  accident,  and  do  the  party 

Kings 
Combine  to  quench  our  Samson's  eyes  and  crop- 

our  eagle's  wings  ? 

PESSIMIST. 

The  great  result  was  woman's    work ;  and,    if   it 

could  have  stood, 
Would  soon  have  grown  a  giant  oak  o'ershadow- 

ing  all  the  wood — 
A  "  Charter  Oak"  so  grand,  the  world,  ah,  every 

human  soul 
Had  cried  ere  long :  "  Give  her  a  voice ;  let  wa- 

man  e'en  control 
The  destinies  of 'every  land,  give  her  the  sovereign 

right 
To  speak  by  ballot,  let  her  vote  and  thus  dispeL 

the  night — 


120  THE  OUTLOOK. 

The  gloomy,  baleful  night  of  crime,  of  vice,  de 
bauchery — 

*Ring  in  the  reign  of  Christ  on  earth,'  the  true 
Democracy !" 

The  lawyer's  bull,  lo!  with  his  horns  has  gored 
the  farmer's  ox ; 

This  "woman's  movement"  must  be  quashed;  it 
is  not  orthodox, 

Suits  not  the  purposes  of  those  who  hide  behind 
the  screen 

And  wield  the  potent  party  lash  and  manage  the 
"  machine" — 

So  'tis  o'erthrown,  the  woman's  work,  the  tem 
perance  cause  is  dead  ; 

I  nail  this  thesis  to  the  door:  "Wrong  knocked 
it  on  the  head" 

He  saw  that  he  could  kill  the  maid;  the  Devil 
whispered  "well;" 

He  raised  his  hand;  he  threw  the  dart;  the  beaute 
ous  damsel  fell, 

And  now  lies  prostrate  in  her  blood;  but  he  that 
did  the  deed 

Will  live  to  rue  the  sinful  act ;  for  "  sovereign  mercy'* 
plead. 

The  history  of  every  man  is  written,  not  with 
pen; 

But  on  the  living  hearts  and  souls  of  his  poor  fel 
low  men  ; 

Rather  a  millstone  to  his  neck  and  cast  into  the 
sea 


THE  OUTLOOK.  121 

Than  add,  through  lust  of  gold,  one  grain  to  hu 
man  misery, 

OPTIMIST. 

'Tis  true  that  Wrong  in  politics  hotds  quite  a  lofty 

seat ; 
His  voice    is  loudest  in  the  throng   when    state 

conventions  meet — 
"I  nominate!" — he  thundering  cries;  his  flunkies 

all  obey, 

In  every  party  gathering  his  faction  wins  the  day. 
This  is  the  riddle  to  be  solved :     Who  is  prepared 

to  guess, 
Why  there's  so  much  springs  from  his  brain,  so 

much  from  nothingness  ? 

PESSIMIST. 

Disparagement  will  not  explain  the  power  of  this 

strong  man; 
Behind  him  stand  the  railroad  kings  and  all  the 

whiskey  clan  , 
He  rules  the  bench  through  caucuses;  the  ghouls 

behind  rule  him ; 
The  railroad  kings  and  wiskey  rings,  they    own 

him  trunk  and  limb; 
The  immensity  of  power  he  wields  is   all    placed 

in  his  hands 
By  those  huge  bloated  monied    rings    no    better 

than  brigands. 


122  THE  OUTLOOK. 

But,  tell  me,  is  it   righteousness    in    one    whose 

trade's  the  law 
To  hide  his  whole  religion  and  his  conscience  in 

his  maw? 
I  say  'tis  not!     He  has  no  right,  though  " Doctor 

of  the  Laws" 
To  raise  a  fratricidal  hand  against  the  common 

cause, 
A  moral  cause  so  sacred  !     It  is  treason  born    of 

Hell 

In  him  or  any  citizen  against  it  to  rebel ! 
And  doubly  so  if  he  has    lived  and  fattened  and 

grown  strong 
On  the  favors  of  that  people,    oh  it  is    a  cruel 

wrong ! 
Would  he  by  "technicality"  defeat  their  sovereign 

will, 
He  should  die  the  death  of  Judas  and  then  rot  on 

some  dung  hill ! 

Indeed  a  patriot  unschooled  in  working  for  a  "  fee" 
Would  gladly  give  his    life,    his  all,  if  only  he 

could  free 
Our  lovely  State  from  slavery  that  demon    drink 

entails, 
Filling  with  paupers  poor-houses;  with  criminals 

the  jails! 

And  had  a  spark  of  gratitude  beamed  in  his  sor 
did  breast 
He  would  have  said:     "Our   people    speak    the 

voice  of  the  Great  West, 


THE  OUTLOOK.  123 

They  who  have  made  me  what  I  am,  exalting  me 

and  mine ; 
I'll  give  my  fortune  and  my  life  their  heart's  wish 

to  enshrine." 
It  was  a  lovely  sight  to  see  in  that  most  glorious 

fight 
The  thousands  marching  to  the   front    upon    the 

side  of  Right, 
Against  the  powers  of  Sin  and  Death;  against  the 

hosts  of  Hell ; 
While   angels,    lauding   from    the    skies,    cried': 

"Freemen,  ye  do  well!" 

OPTIMIST. 

If  it  be  true,  the  word  you  speak,  then    all    men. 

will  agree 
Jeff  Davis'  crime  was  not  more  base  or  mean  (his 

treachery) 
Than  that  which  we  behold  to-day   of  him    you 

boldly  name, 
Who  was  the  people's    favorite;  but    now    (alas? 

the  shame !) 
Has  turned  to  smite  them  in    the    face,  used   all 

his  strength  and  skill 
To  strike  them  down,  destroy  f-hcir   power   and 

trample  on  their  will! 

And  he  who  did  this  dastard  deed  will  live  a  with 
ered  man, 


124  THE  OUTLOOK. 

A  baser  act  of  treachery  not  since  the  world  be 
gan! 

PESSIMIST. 

The  deed  is  done,  the  traitor  paid  and  temperance 

laws  now  end ; 
The  party  that  shall  hold  control  will    not   again 

extend 
The  privilege  (or,  rather,    right)    to    speak   their 

sovereign  will 
To  the  "  good  people  of  the  State  ;"  but   it   will 

cry:     "Be  still!" 
The  people  will  be  forced  to  yield;  for  "  bossism" 

will  prevail ; 
Thus   every    movement    for    reform    will   bloom 

awhile  and  fail. 

OPTIMIST. 

No,  no,  my  friend,  though  much  cast  down  the 
patriots  are  not  dead  ; 

The  battle  must  go  on  until  we  crush  the  ser 
pent's  head; 

But  in  this  great  reverse  we  see  the  hand  of  Prov 
idence 

Pointing  the  way  to  sure  success  through  greater 
diligence. 


THE  OUTLOOK.  125; 


PESSIMIST. 

What  "diligence"  can  guard  the  lamb  against  the 
wolf's  deep  wiles  ? 

To  find  a  pretext  for    her   death    he'd   trudge    a 

thousand  miles; 
But  pretexts  are  as  numerous  as  stars  are  in   the 

sky, 
An^,  as  the  *'  Amendment"  has  gone  down,  so  all 

reforms  must  die. 
The  lamb  is  slain ;  the  surly  wolf  now  gorges  on 

his  prey; 
Black  Tyranny  usurps  a  crown  and  Law  is  driven 

away  ! 
The  law  our  patriot  fathers  gave  :     ''THE  PEOPLE 

ARE  SUPREME  !" 

Why  if ,you  now  e'en  name  this  text  the  courts 
cry  :  "  You  blaspheme  !" 

"  RED  TAPE  is  RULER,"  say  the  owls;  and  even 
common  sense 

Has  been  clean  stricken  from  the  books  and  rea 
son's  an  offense ! 

A  crimsoned  shame !  Four  standing  tramps  have 
power  to  nullify 

The  voice  of  this  great  Commonwealth — fiat    of 

Deity ! 
Yea,  e'en  the  destinies  of  all  now  hang  on    their 

caprice — 


THE  OUTLOOK. 


They  cry  :  "  Oh  Legislature!     Ye  are  a  herd    of 

gabbling  geese  !" 
Th  ey  dub  our  governor  "  an  ass;"  the  State  House 

clique  "  blank  fools  ;" 
Convert  the  ballot  into  jest  those  whiskey-mong 

er's  tools  ! 

OPTIMIST. 

JV  certain  dignity  they  have   by   virtue    of  their 

place  ; 
To  speak  so  of  the  "  learned  bench"  is    surely   a 

disgrace! 
Freedom  of  speech  you  thus  abuse  nor   are   you 

quite  exempt 
prom  being  dragged  before  the  bar  to  answer  to 

"  contempt." 

PESSIMIST 

I  do  contemn,  I  will  aver,  wherever  he  may    be 
The  traitor  to  the  Commonwealth,  the  public  en 

emy  ; 
Him  I  despise  and  loathe  and  scorn    with    all    a 

patriot's  vim  ; 
I'll  teach  the  youth,  yea,  lisping  babes  forever  to 

scorn  him, 
Him  that  destroys  the  public  voice,  stabs    it    for 

an}7  cause, 


THE  OUTLOOK.  127 

Scoff  him  the  public  enemy  and  traitor  to  the  laws  \ 
The  people's  will  that  was    supreme,  has    it   not 

found  a  grave  ? 
Ah,  he  who  would  approve  the  wrong   is   but   a 

cringing  slave  ! 
I  will  denounce  the  base-souled  knaves   as    long 

as  I  have  breath ; 
I'll  lash  the  scoundrels  while  I  live  and  haunt  them 

after  death ! 


OPTIMIST. 

'Tis  but  a  temporary    check    they've    given    the 

temperance  car; 
The  lightning  train  will  speed  right  on  when  we 

renew  the  war. 


PESSIMIST. 

Against  the  prohibition  cause  this  blow's  not 
aimed  alone; 

The  character  of  our  liberties  the  court  has  over 
thrown  ! 

This  baneful  deed's  no  accident;  behind  squats 
base  Design, 

Corruption  and  Monopoly  have  sprung  at  length 
this  mine! 

Emboldened  by  their  "boss"  success  in  counting 
Tilden  out 


128  THE  OUTLOOK. 

The  mask's  thrown  off;  with   brazen    cheek   the 

public  voice  they  scout  ; 
The  unwritten  Constitution  that  our  fathers'  valor 

won: 

THE     PEOPLE     ARE    THE     SOVEREIGNS,"     IS    .SWCpt 

away  and  gone! 

A  backward  revolution  is  the  devil  that  we  view, 
Dethronement  of  the  many  and  enthronement  of 

the  few  ; 
The  galling  chain  of  slavery  the  masses  long  may 

feel; 
No  strength  may  ever  break  its  links  cf  toughest 

tempered  steel  ; 
Where  are  the  mighty  people  now  to  trample  on 

this  deed, 
This  hellish  action  of  the    court,  this    "bossism" 

gone  to  seed  ? 
The  "Amendment, "it  is  supreme  law/who  says  'tis 

not  rebels ! 
That  traitor  to    the  Commonwealth    deserves    a 

million  hells  ! 
Our  rights  are  trampled  in  the  mire;  but  (sadder 

cause  of  grief) 
The  tribunes  of  the  people  to  the  people's   voice 

are  deaf! 

They  veto  now  our  spoken  word,  usurp  the  pow 
er  of  kings, 
And  all  to  serve  Unrighteousness  (monopolies  and 

rings)— 


THE  OUTLOOK.  129 

Behold  our  "grand  palladium,"  our  "shield,"  our 
"  sure  defense,'' 

Has  turned  a  rattlesnake  that  strikes  with  fanged 
malevolence ! 

Strikes  the  governor,  legislature,  and  the  "sover 
eigns"  in  the  face, 

Oh  freemen  !  would  that  ye  could  teach  the  loons 
to  know  their  place  ! 

OPTIMIST. 

It  is  a  fearful  power,  I  know,  that  now  the  ermined 
wield: 

But  the  wrong  will  soon  be  righted  on  the  moral 
battle  field. 

Believing  all  is  for  the  best  still  let  us  do  and  dare, 

Re-arm  us  for  the  holy  war  and  fight  against  De 
spair. 

PESSIMIST. 

You  must  admit  that  there  are  times  when  free 
men  should  speak  out 

And  not  in  half  a  whisper  squeak;  but  boister 
ously  shout ; 

When  their  sovereignty  is  spit  upon  and  courts 
transcend  their  power, 

Is't  not  the  time  for  action  then  ?  Is't  not  the 
supreme  hour? 

9 


130  THE  OUTLOOK, 

When  the  balances  are  broken  and  Inj  ustice  mounts 

a  throne, 
Becomes  the  tyrant  of  the  State,  then  we  should 

not  postpone 
To  raise  the  cry  our  fathers  did;  take    their   old 

muskets  down 
And  burnish  them  anew  to  fight  the  Tyrants  of  the 

Gcnvn. 

Jan.  27,  1883. 


THE  OUTLOOK. 

O 

PART  THE    FOURTH. 

THE  TRIUMPH   OF  WOMAN. 

OPTIMIST,    PESSIMIST. 

"  Blessed  are  the  meek ;  for  they  shall  inherit  the  earth" 
—JESUS. 

OPTIMIST. 

The  social  evil,  half  its  woes  no  pen  can  e'er  de 
pict ; 

I  honor  thee  for  thy  good  work  Lovina  Benedict ! 

The  silent  workers,  good  and  true,  will  bring  the 
day  about 

That  we  have  long  been  praying    for   when    evil 
shall  die  out ; 

When  man  shall  rise  superior  to  lust  and   selfish 
greed 

And  woman  shall  be  disenthralled  as  nature's  God 
decreed ; 

She  walks  the  earth  an  angel  now,  the    light    of 
every  zone  ; 

She  is  the  queen  of  loveliness  ;  to  her  is  sin    un 
known, 


1 32  THE  OUTLOOK. 

Until  by  man  (her  only  shield)  is  confidence  be 
trayed  ; 
In  him  is  all  the  villainy  ;  on  him  the  sin  be  laid  1 

PESSIMIST. 

Right  here  is  where  your  reasoning,  O  Opti 
mist's  unsound ; 

Tis  man  to  whom  she  looks  for  help  to  lift  her 
from  the  ground. 

See  how  Lovina  Benedict  was  pelted  with  rebuffs 

By  the  Solon  Legislators — how  a  raft  of  brainless 
roughs 

(The  champions  of  lager  beer,  limburger,  sauer 
kraut,) 

Cough,  wink  and  nudge  each  other  and  then  cold 
ly  bow  her  out! 

The  whiskey  rings  must  rule,  you  know,  and  "  per 
sonal  liberty" 

(The  only  cry  that  durst  be  raised)  means  gross 
debauchery; 

It  means  to  license  dens  of  shame ;  open  the  gates 
of  Death ; 

Therefore  whoever  cries  "  reform"  will  only  waste 
his  breath. 

OPTIMIST. 

Have  courage,  brother !     I  behold  the  dawn    of 

true  reform — 
The  cause  of  woman  triumphant;  God  comes  no  f, 

in  the  storm. 


THE  OUTLOOK.  133 

The  quiet  workers  will  prevail  with  woman  in  the 

van, 
And  Mary  Darwin  live  to  see,  and  Martha  Calla- 

nan, 
Our  daughters  honored  as  our  sons;  our  mothers 

(names  revered!) 
And  our  good  wives — bone  of  our   bone — to    us 

still  more  endeared 

By  the  interest  that  they  shall  evince  in  every  glo 
rious  cause, 
Grafting  by  ballot  wisest  thought  and  heart-prayers 

on  our  laws. 
And  this  is  all  that  woman  asks :     Make  life's  arena 

broad — 
An  ampler  field  in  which  to  moil,  a  gleaner  for  her 

God. 
Oh  why  should  they  wear  shackles,  those  proud 

mothers  of  our  sons  ; 
To  them  far  dearer  than  to  us  are  home  and  little 

ones ! 
Haste,  haste  to  place   within   their   reach   stout 

weapons  of  defense  ; 

That  foe  of  home  then  quickly  dies,   demon   In 
temperance  ! 
Yea  their  interests  they  are   greater  than   man's 

selfish  interests,  far; 
Theirs,  clearly  theirs  (flesh,  blood  and  bone)  all 

human  creatures  are. 
Fond  mothers  will  protect  their  sons  when   they 

have  power  to  save  ; 


134  THE  OUTLOOK. 

When  they  can  vote,  I  must  believe,    all  evil  finds 

a  grave ; — 
Enfranchised  woman  !  with  glad  songs  the  event 

will  angels  hail — 
War  ends  forever;  "peace  on  earth,  good  will  to 

men"  prevail. 

PESSIMIST. 

O  friend,  how  very  different  all  things  appear  to 

me! 
That  happy  outcome  of  your  dreams   this   world 

will  never  see ; 

Black  Tyranny  and  Cruelty,  while  man  exists,  re 
main, 
And  Poverty  and  Woe  and  Sin  and  sordid  Lust 

of  Gain. 
An  everlasting  conflict  fierce  rages   'twixt   Right 

and  Wrong 
Despite  the  voice  of  prophets  old  and  later  poet's 

song  ; 

Despite  all  theorizing  'tis  the  great  Creator's  plan; 
Decay  is  Nature's  finalty  and  death  the  doom  of 

man  ; 
And  Sin  is  ever  uppermost   and    Evil   triumphs 

still ; 
The  universal  tendency  's  not  upward,    but  down 

hill  ; 
Yea,  man  has  been  a  tyrant,  and  fond  woman  's 

been  misused, 


THE  OUTLOOK.  135 

(No  one  will  ever  question  this)  and  she  '11  be  still 
abused ; 

Though  she  stands  (in  her  importance  in  the  uni 
verse)  ahead, 

The  primal  source  of  life  on  earth  (as  you  have 
justly  said) ; 

For,  man  was  given  the  greater  strength  by  Heav 
en's  supreme  decree, 

And  she  must  bow  submissive  lest  existence  cease 
to  be. 

This  thesis,  friend,  you  will  admit:  '•  The  stronger 
must  prevail." 

OPTIMIST. 

Will  mind  succumb  to  matter  then,  the  cause    of 

woman  fail  ? 
Superior  in  the  moral  realm,  the  gods  must  yield 

to  her; 

Wielding  the  potent  wand  of  love  she  will  be  con 
queror. 

Woman !  Call  her  feeble !  there  are  ripples  on 
the  deep  ; 

Remove  old  Ocean  from  his  bed :  Why,  Hercules, 
you  sleep! 

She  asks  no*'  rights"  for  selfish  ends  ;  for  see  where 
Love  commands 

She  strikes  down  "Self"!  To  shield  the  weak 
she  every  ill  withstands. 

The  fear  of  death  has  no  restraint  when  Love  bids 
her  to  move; 


136  THE  OUTLOOK. 

When  Memphis  felt  the  fatal  plague  behold  fond 
woman's  love! 

She  leaps  into  the  jaws  of  Death,  not  for  the  bau 
ble  fame, 

Not  as  the  brave  "  six  hundred"  charged,  her  mo 
tive  not  the  same. 

What  bore  her  to  the  scene  of  woe?  Her  heart 
that  never  fails ! 

How  many  sleep  in  unknown  graves,  true  Florence 
Nightengales! 

Though  timid,  like  the  harmless  roe  when  danger 
is  afar, 

Cool  and  collected,  undismayed,  where  Death  and 
Danger  are ! 

Kate  Shelley  braves  the  Storm-fiend's  rage,  Dark 
ness,  the  roaring  Flood; 

Does  Fear  deter  ?  Love  leads  her  on ;  but  who 
protects  her?  God! 

The  social  evil  must  die  out  when  we  remove  its 
cause ; 

See  woman  then  its  cause  remove  when  she  dic 
tates  the  laws  ! 

PESSIMIST. 

But,  OpHmist,  the  social  sin  has   always    cursed 

,      our  earth  ; 
How  little  'tis  abated    even  since  the  Saviour's 

birth  ! 
Or  since  poor  Mary  Magdalene  beheld  its  antidote 


THE  OUTLOOK.  137 

In  him,  the  true  Redeemer  !  And  what  now  (though 
woman  vote) 

Can  be  done  to  lift  the  fallen  from  the  slums  and 
hold  them  up  ? 

Oh  I'd  rejoice  to  see  removed  the  poisoned,  bit 
ter  cup 

That  the  millions  (darling  daughters  fondest  pa 
rents  doted  on) 

Now  drink,  are  lost,  "  abandoned  !"  Oh  that  day 
for  them  might  dawn  ! 

Egyptian  night  enshrouds  them.  Like  the  giddy 
butterfly, 

In  a  blaze  of  sensuality,  behold  them  flit  and  die  1 

OPTIMIST. 

The  answer,  Pessimist,  is  given  when  you   the 

Saviour  name ; 
The  antidote  is  love !  'Twill  all  the    Magdalenes 

reclaim  ; 
The  love  engrafted  on  our  laws  that  beams  from 

woman's  soul, 
The  love  that  Christ  imparted,  'twill  the  universe 

control ! 
Will  lift  the  abandoned  from  the    slums.     The 

Heaven-sent  antidote 
Will  be  applied  to  every  ill  when  woman  casts  her 

vote. 

For  drunkards  grand  asylums,  and  for  the  aban 
doned  homes ; 


138  THE  OUTLOOK. 

When  she  prevails  we  hear  the  shout :     "  Behold 

the  Master  comes  ;" 
Yea/this  (His  second  coming)  mighty  prophets  old 

foresaw 
When  He  shall  reign  a  thousand  years  and  love 

shall  be  the  law! 

Not  anything  that  she  deems  wrong  will  she  (law 
maker)  do; 
And  righteousness  placed  in  the  laws  will  curb  the 

greedy  few — 
Will  give  the  toiling  many  all    the    products    of 

their  toil; 
Will  break  the  foul    monopolies  :  land,  railroad, 

standard  oil — 
Remove  the  cause  of  social  vice ;  give  all  a  work; 

and  give 
To  all  the  certain  prospect  that  by  labor  they  shall 

live. 

PESSIMIST. 

You  are  too  sanguine  in  your  hopes,  kind  Opti 
mist,  by  far; 

For  woman  is  as  greedy  as  all  other  creatures  are; 

And  she  will  wink  at  evil  if  that  evil  bring  her 
wealth  ; 

And  she  will  be  as  ready  quite  to  overreach  by 
stealth  ; 

Corruption,  too,  in  politics,  will  not  be  less  ram 
pant  ; 


THE  OUTLOOK.  139 

Old  England  has  a  queen  you  know,  with  heart 
of  adamant ; 

Beholds  the  woes  of  Ireland  ;  beholds  the  millions 
die 

Of  hunger,  robbed,  oppressed;  and  yet  her  gra 
cious  eyes  are  dry ! 


OPTIMIST. 

Man  is  the  first  when  evil  comes  to  grasp  the  sin 
ful  cup; 

When  evil  dies,  say,  who  is  then  the  last  to  give 
it  up  ? 

The  wave  that  drowns  King  Alcohol  drowns  the 
tobacco  fiend  ; 

Who  last,  I  ask,  is't  he  or  she  that  from  its  pow 
er  is  weaned? 

And  though  you  blame  the  British  queen  the 
fault  rests  not  with  her  ; 

For  England's  sins  arraign  her  lords  and  her  Prime 
Minister. 

Let  suffrage  be  extended  in  Great  Britain  ;  let  all 
men 

(And  women  too)  go  to  the  polls  as  equals,  and 
right  then 

A  mighty  revolution  would  the  world  at  once  be 
hold, 

And  Ireland  would  rejoice  indeed  with  blessings 
manifold. 


140  THE  OUTLOOK. 

When  this  shall  come  about,  dear  friend,  in  every 
Christian  land 

God's  kingdom  we  behold  in  fact ;  the  armies  all 
disband ; 

The  world  we  see  united  in  a  sisterhood  of  states ; 

A  congress  of  all  nations  meet  (peaceful  confed 
erates  !) 

To'  settle  all  disputed  points.  The  sword  will  nev 
ermore 

Be  drawn  from  out  its  scabbard  to  be  stained  with 
human  gore! 

PESSIMIST. 

When  Selfishness  has  ceased  to  be,  and  kings 
are  overthrown, 

And  when  the  toiling  millions  stand  together  and 
are  one, 

We  may  hope  to  see  the  happy  time  that  you  an 
ticipate 

Wrhen  each  shall  seek  the  other's  good  and  all  co 
operate 

To  lift  the  helpless  from  the  dust  and  care  for  the 
distressed ; 

To  give  the  enfeebled  pleasant  homes  and  to  the 
toilers  rest. 

OPTIMIST. 

That  blessed  day  is  sure  to  come  and  now  is  al 
most  here 


THE  OUTLOOK.  141 

When  Might  shall  cease  to  be  the  law  and  none 

will  domineer; 
When  Righteousness  will   reign    on    earth    and 

"right"  the  only  end, 
And  man  will  be  no  longer  "lord";  but  woman's 

trusted  friend ; — 
And  it  is  plain  and  plausible  that  cruel,  bestial 

Force 
Has  in  this  age  of  Intellect  now  nearly  run  his 

course; 
The  weaker  are  the  stronger,  and  the  mighty  are 

the  weak — 
The  world  is  newly  peopled ;  its  inhabitants  the 

meek. 

Feb.  25,  J883. 


ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT. 


LAWYER    JONES,    FARMER    SMITH. 

"  And  they  shall  beat  their  swords  into  plowshares  and 
their  spears  into  pruning-hooks  ;  nation  shall  not 
lift  up  sword  against  nation,  neither  shall  they  learn 
war  any  more" — ISAIAH. 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Right  stormy  news  to-day,  friend  Smith, 

We  have  from  Alexandria; 
The  English  fleet  has  opened  fire 

Effectively  and  grandly! 

The  British,  ever  wide  awake, 

Have  made  a  demonstration 
That  must  add  glory  to  their  name 

And  shekels  to  the  nation, 

FARMER   SMITH. 

Jones,  since  I  had  my  only  son 

Slain  with  a  shell  at  Shiloh 
I  feel  how  terrible  are  wars — 

They've  lost  to  me  their  halo. 

What  have  the  men  of  Egypt  done 
To  stir  up  such  a  clangor? 


ENGLAND  AND  EG  YPT.  \ 

It  must  be  some  great  crime,  of  course, 
To  rouse  thus  England's  anger? 

LAWYER    JONES. 

The  crime,  as  I  have  heard,  is  this: 

The  Fellah  are  declaring 
They  cannot  pay  the  Khedive's  debts 

To  Rothschild  and  to  Baring. 

Eight  dollars  to  the  acre  now 

Is  the  enormous  levy 
Of  tax  they  pay  upon  their  lands — 

They  claim  it  is  too  heavy. 

The  Fellah,  like  the  Irish,  dare 
To  kick  against  their  masters — 

This  is  the  crime  that  brought  them  war 
With  all  its  dire  disasters. 

The  farmers,  let  them  stick  to  work — 

The  war  is  incidental, 
A  mere  attempt  on  England's  part 

To  help  enforce  the  rental. 

For  "  honest  payment"  she  declares 

Of  bonded  obligation ; 
And  now  she  points  her  Catling  guns 

Against  Repudiation. 


144  ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT. 


FARMER   SMITH. 

This  howl  for  "  honesty"  by  wolves 
Is  thinly-disguised  knavery — 

The  most  dishonest  things  on  earth 
Are  war  and  human  slavery. 

The  maxim  of  all  men  should  be 
(Now  hear  me  plainly  state  it): — 

Whatever  fetters  Liberty 
We  should  repudiate  it  / 

No  bond  or  mortgage  can  wipe  out 

The  "  higher  obligation" 
("  Life,  Liberty,  and  Happiness") 

Writ  in  our  Declaration. 

"All  tax"  (says  English  law  itself— 
No  better  law  had  Sparta) 

"Is  but  a  voluntary  gift" — 
Vide  old  Magna  Chart  a! 

Let  Albion  proclaim  in  tones 
That  all  mankind  may  hear  her, 

And  Ireland,  India,  Africa, 

And  Egypt  loudly  cheer  her: — 

"Only  a  voluntary  gift 

(The  tax  or  rent)  you  may  give — 
Old  England  guarantees  your  right 

And  holds  in  check  the  Khedive. 


ENGLAND  AND  EG  YPT.  145 

"  He  shall  not  raise  a  hand  to  place 

A  yoke  upon  the  many — 
They  shall  not  be  constrained  to  give 

To  Idleness  a  penny." 

But  now  the  shameful  fact  appears 

That  England  stands  to  fetter 
The  multitude — the  Shylock's  "bond" 

Enforces  to  the  letter. 

Is  Shylock  sweltering  in  the  ranks 
Fighting  old  England's  battles? 

Oh,  no !     He  snugly  stays  at  home. 

Who  fight?     Why,  " human  chattels  !5> 

False  Albion's  boast  of  many  years  : 
"  No  slave  can  breathe  in  Britain" — 

But  Ireland  is  a  land  of  slaves 

To  England's  shame  be  it  written. 

More  abject  is  their  slavery 

Than  that  of  Negro  chattels  ; 
Yet  Irish  blood  and  bravery 

Win  England's  "glorious  battles." 

This  is  the  shoe  that  pinches  most : 

That  toilers  should  belabor 
Their  toiling  brothers  and  forget 

Their  duty  to  their  neighbor. 

The  "Royal  Irish  Regiment-" 
To  Egypt  now  is  sailing, 

10 


146  ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT. 

To  forge  for  her  the  self-same  chains 
That  Ireland  is  bewailing. 

Throw  down  your  guns,  Green  Erin's  sons ! 

Stand  by  your  toiling  brothers  ! 
Think  of  the  suffering  ones  at  home — 

Your  sisters  and  your  mothers ! 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Why,  Smith,  you  rave  like  one  insane; 

The  English  Constitution 
Should  be  the  model  for  our  own. 

Give  us  a  revolution 

That  brings  a  "stronger  Government," 

One  that  will  be  emphatic, 
To  hold  the  workingmen  in  check — 

We  grow  too  democratic. 

"  Vox populi,  vox  DeiT  yell 
The  ragged,  hungry  rabble — 

It  is  more  int'resting  to  hear 
A  thousand  ganders  gabble ! 

The  British  Government  is  right 

In  putting  Egypt  under; 
And  "  No  Rent"  Ireland,  too;  will  quail 

Before  the  English  thunder; 

For  Egypt  and  old  Ireland  both 
Deserve  the  healing  plaster 


ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT.  147 

Of  shot,  and  shell,  and  minie  balls — 
Toilers  must  have  a  master! 


FARMER  SMITH. 

Friend  Jones,  your  frankness  is  sublime; 

You  bravely  tell  your  story — 
Our  fathers,  if  they'd  heard  you  talk, 

Had  shot  you  for  a  Tory ! 

This  Tory  smell  is  in  the  air  ; 

Aristocratic  stinkers 
(The  race  of  rotten  millionaires) 

Now  play  the  role  of  "  thinkers." 

They  squeak  through  every  venal  press, 
And  howl  against  the  "strikers," 

And  rave  about  the  "  dangerous  class," 
Still  hounding  on  their  lie  curs ! 

And  many  honest  men  like  you 

Re-echo  their  palaver, 
You  love  Brittania  so  well  ? 

I'm  willing  you  shall  have  her. 

My  grandsire  fought  at  Bunker  Hill; 

I  hate  (Darwin  explain  it!) 
The  name  of  "  Lords  and  Monarchy ;" 

Like  Milton,  I  disdain  it! 

'  O  Pym,  Vane,  Hampden,  Eliot 
Call,  with  your  ancient  summons, 


I48  ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT. 

The  traitor  StrafTords  of  to-day 
Before  a  patriot  Commons  ! 

The  work  those  glorious  martyr's  did, 
True  Englishmen,  Oh  heed  it! 

A  bold  handwriting's  on  the  wall — 
Aristocrats  may  read  it. 

That  writing  is  to  this  effect : 

"THE  DAYS  OF  LORDS  ARE  NUMBERED  !" 
We  plant  just  privilege  for  all 

Upon  the  ground  they've  cumbered — 

The  land  is  for  the  men  that  plow, 

The  water  for  the  seamen  ; 
One  class  alone  upon  the  earth — 

That  class  we  hail  them  "  FREEMEN." 

All  "  peoples"  shall  be  joined  as  one — 

United  as  one  nation ; 
Democracy  shall  rule  the  world, 

A  great  Confederation. 

The  guaranty  shall  be  : — No  soul 

Shall  ever  be  molested — 
All  obligations  rest  upon 

Friendships  disinterested. 

All  "legal  debts"  shall  be  unknown; 

Known  only  "  debts  of  honor  ;" 
No  "  interest  notes,"  no  mortgages ; 

The  State  no  "bonds"  upon  her. 


ENGLAND  AND  EGYPT.  149 

The  rule,  then,  oftha  "  Prince  of  Peace" 

Must  end  all  litigation — 
All  grave  misunderstandings  cease 

In  friendly  arbitration. 

Old  England  soon  will  take  the  lead 

In  this  grand  revolution ; 
Her  workingmen  are  now  agreed 

To  end  all  destitution. 

Her  lands  will  be  divided  up 

In  farms  of  twenty  acres; 
The  glorious  English-speaking  race 

Will  be  the  world's  law-makers. 

The  shell  is  now  about  to  break 
(This  hope,  O  toilers,  cherish !), 

The  New  will  rise  a  bright  Phoenix, 
The  Old  will  shortly  perish ! 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Well,  Farmer  Smith,  you've  made  a  speech 

(I  tell  it  to  your  credit)-, 
More  eloquent  it  could  not  be 

If  e'en  a  lawyer  had  said  it. 

I'm  now  convinced  it  would  be  well 
(While  England  watches  strangers)-, 

It  would  be  well  tor  Uncle  Sam 
To  keep  an  eye  on  Grangers. 

July  13,  1882. 


CEIME'S  CARNIVAL. 


LAWYER    JONES,    FARMER    SMITH* 

"  It  is  a  frequent  sight  to  see 
High  dangling  from  a  limb 

A  ghastly  wretch— this  thing  to  me 
Is  joy— though  grief  to  him." 

— Popular  Song  of  the  Period. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Last  m'ght  we  did  a  noble  job: 

Des  Moines,  transformed  into  a  mob, 

Strung  up  another  murderous  fiend — 

Although  the  Sheriff  intervened 

To  save  the  wretch  from  righteous  wrath, 

We  followed  hot  upon  his  path 

And  sent  him  to  his  just  reward: 

We  left  him  dangling  to  a  cord ! 

FARMER  SMITH. 

Honor  to  Sheriff  Littleton ! 

The  love  of  all  true  men  he  won — 

The  grand  old  soldier!  schooled  to  do* 

His  duty !  to  his  country  true ! 

No  truckling,  base  time-server  can 

Appreciate  so  brave  a  man  ! 


CRIMES  CARNIVAL.  151 

LAWYER    JONES. 

What  did  he  then?    I'll  tell  you,  sir: 
He  stept  betwixt  the  murderer 
And  justice  that  we  were  about, 
In  wholesome  sort,  to  measure  out! 
Though  my  profession  is  the  law, 
And  from  it  I  subsistence  draw, 
I  see  the  crying  need  to-day 
Of  putting  lawlessness  away — 
And  not  by  costly,  bungling  courts 
Where  barefaced  Bribery  resorts, 
Until  it  has  become  a  shame, 
A  judge  or  jury,  e'en  to  name; 
But  bjf  the  people  in  their  might 
Dethroning  Wrong  enthroning  Right — 
And  I  can  see  no  better  course 
Than  to  revive  the  Law  of  Force. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

Jones,  now  you  strike  an  ugly  job; 
Mob  will  be  met  by  counter  mob. 
You  overthrow  society ; 
You  bring  in  War  and  Anarchy; 
You  sink  our  country  down  as  low 
As  barbarous,  mob-cursed  Mexico  ! 

LAWYER    JONES. 

There  is  a  power  behind  the  throne; 
Tis  time  the  power  were  felt  and  known  I 


152  CRIME'S  CARNIVAL. 

See  lawlessness  triumphant 'here 
In  city,  country,  everywhere ! 
See  our  kind  parson's  "  gentlemen" 
Have  closed,  as  yet,  hardly  ouc  den, 
And  drunkenness  runs  riot  still 
In  spite  of  law  and  people's  will ! 
If  Elder  Lucas  would  but  know, 
There  is  a  way  to  overthrow 
The  lawless  fiends  whom  even  Hell 
Would  scarcely  give  a  place  to  dwell. 
They  care  for  country,  right  and  laws 
No  more  than  does  a  crow  that  caws — 
With  traitorous  audacity 
They  stab  the  people's  sovereignty; 
They  thus  haul  down  the  flag — w.hy  not 
Just  "shoot"  the  villains  "  on  the  spot?" 
Their  rotten  carcasses  should  swing, 
And  dangle  to  a  hempen  string ! 
The  people,    in  their  glorious  might, 
En  masse,  should  organize  some  night, 
Tear  down,  demolish,  overturn, 
Wipe  out,  obliterate  and  burn 
Each  den  where  Lawlessness  is  shown 
To  reign  defiant  on  the  throne. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

Jones,  I  (like  you)  regret  to  see 

So  much  of  vice  and  misery: 

The  star-route  steal,  and  then  the  farce 


CRIME'S  CARNIVAL.  153 

(The  Dorsey  trial)  ten  times  worse! 
Yet  we  can  but  approximate, 
Not  wholly  reach  a  perfect  State —  ; 
Against  the  tidal- wave  of  wrong 
There  is  a  counter-current  strong — 
The  storm  of  sin  is  at  its  worst : 
We  see  the  cloud  above  us  burst — 
Signs  are  propitious  in  the  air  ; 
Now  soon  the  weather  will  be  fair. 


LAWYER    JONES. 

What  are  those  signs?     I'm  surely  blind- 
Hugely  benighted  in  my  mind  ! 
Still  you  may  (or  Professor  Tice), 
Ward  off  the  dread  cyclone  of  vice, 
That  strikes  against  Des  Moines  as  fell 
As  did  the  storm-fiend  smite  Grinnell. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

The  signs  are  these:  hatred  of  crime 
That  now  is  horribly  sublime — 
There  is  abroad  a  sense  of  right, 
That  gives  the  patriot  true  delight — 
Behold  the  prohibition  wave 
Insures  the  vile  beer-fiend  a  grave ! 
Impatience,  you  yourself  display 
That  lawlessness  be  done  away — 
The  people' swill — this  is  the  word — 


154  CRIME'S  CARNIVAL. 

The  voice  of  Might — sword  of  the  Lord — 
The  wand  of  Peace ! — The  common  throng", 
That  love  the  right  and  hate  the  wrong, 
They  soon  will  raise  their  hands  on  high, 
Swear  for  their  homes  to  live  and  die  ; — 
Our  couniry !     It  shall  rise  and  beam 
Far  brighter  than  our  Fathers'  dream  ; 
No  need  of  mobs  and  brutish  Force ! 
Ah,  Jones,  the  remedy  is  worse 
Than  the  disease.     A  better  plan 
The  Son  of  God  and  Son  of  Man 
Has  given  to  us  :     "  Do  good  for  ill 7" 
To  sin's  wiltf  waves  cry,  "  Peace;  be   still!" 
Not  maudlin  sentiment  He  spoke  ; 
But  bread  of  highest  truth  He  broke. 
Philosophy — the  grandest  kind — 
Beamed  from  His  God-illumined  mind; 
And  mankind  soon  will  wake  to  see 
The  depth  of  His  philanthropy. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Friend  Smith,  your  talk  is  vague  and  wild ; 
Be  something  definite  compiled  ! 
Your  "  healing  remedy,"  forsooth, 
Should  strongly  smack  of  pungent  truth  ; 
Facts,  you  well  know,  are  stubborn   things 
For  common  men  and  crowned  kings ; 
We  facts  of  vice  and  murder  meet 
Now  every  day  upon  the  street ; — 


CRIMES  CARNIVAL.  155 

The  cause  is  plain  ;  but  what's  the  cure  ? 
Not  sentimental  pills,  I'm  sure; 
Ropes  and  revolvers,  fire  and  sword 
Will  bring  us  nearer  to  the  Lord ! 

FARMER    SMITH. 

The  cause,  friend  Jones,  is  not  so  plain ; — 
How  may  we  social  health  regain? 
Remove,  of  vice  and  crime,  the  cause, 
Then  we  shall  have  no  need  of  laws. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Do  I  admit  it?     Yes,  I  do! 

What  you've  just  said  is  grandly  true  I 

FARMER    SMITH. 

O  friend,  we  should  not  sleep,  till  we 
Have  felled  the  poison  Upas  tree ! 
The  way  to  help  strike  down  the  cause 
Of  sin,  is  to  uphold  the  laws  ; — 
Our  noble  Sheriff  hit  the  plan  : 
"Stand  by  the  laws!" — God  bless  the  man! 
And  when  we  find  onr  laws  are  lame 
Then  let  us  better  statutes  frame ! 

LAWYER   JONES. 

But  Smith,  the  laws  we  can't  enforce; 


156  CRIMES  CARNIVAL, 

You    see,    Des    Moines    grows   worse    and 

worse — 

See  sixty-five  saloonists  stand 
Defiant  of  our  loud  command ! 
We  can't  suppress  a  tippling  hell ; 
Because  the  "  gentlemen"  rebel 
These  sixt-five  out-flank,  you  see, 
Twelve  hundred — our  majority! 
Behold,  Tom.  Jefferson  a  fool ! 
Majorities  have  ceased  to  rule  ; 
Here  sixty-five  law-breakers  gloat, 
Swagger  and  swear — seize  by  the  throat 
The  City  Fathers — drive' the  Mayor, 
As  do  the  butchers  drive  a  steer ! 
They  on  the  altar  pile  greenbacks 
And  lo  !     "  His  Honor"  melts  like  wax! 
The  people  rule?     'Tis  not  the  case; 
Old  Mammon  governs  in  their  place! 

FARMER    SMITH. 

Ah,  public  sentiment  is  strong — 

All  powerful  to  throttle  wrong; 

This  is  enough — raise  no  rude  hand — 

See  Mayors  cower  before  her  wand — 

See  City  Fathers  quake  with  fear — 

See  Legislators  hark  and  hear — 

See  Congressmen  obey  her  nod ; 

(Her  voice,  Jones,  is  the  voice  of  God !) 

And  Presidents  and  Kings  succumb 

If  she  but  sternly  snap  her  thumb  ! 


CRIME'S  CARNIVAL.  157 


LAWYER    JONES. 

Well  Farmer  Smith  forgive  my  heat ; 
I  see  my  words  were  indiscreet; — 
The  farmer  (Hercules)  at  last 
(This  globe  upon  his  shoulders  vast) 
Moves  forward  bearing  all  along — 
Smith,  you  were  right  and  I  was  wrong ! 
Your  words  of  wisdom  I  commend; 
The  law,  the  law's  our  truest  friend — 
In  what  I  spoke  there's  this  great  flaw — 
That  lawless  mobs  can  uphold  law- — 
It  is  not  true  !     May  mob  rule  cease ; 
The  people's  will  enforce,  O,  Peace ! 

Sept.  23,  1882. 


THE  "NEW  PARTY.77 

o 

LAWYER   JONES,    FARMER    SMITH. 

Unite  or  die."— OLD  CONTINENTAL  MOTTO. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Ah,  Farmer  Smith,  I've  heard  sad  news, 

Enough  to  give  us  all  the  blues : 

The  court,  obedient  to  the  lash 

Of  party  leaders  and  to  "  cash" 

Have  knocked  the  "  Amendment"  into  pi — 

The  parties — they  deserve  to  die  ! 

FARMER    SMITH. 

The  parties  !     Let  us  say,  friend  Jones, 

Tis  not  the  parties  ;  but  the  drones 

(Knaves  that  on  public  plunder  thrive 

Aud  fatten  in  the  party  hive) 

That  ever  do  the  "  dirty  work" — 

They  flourish  the  assassin's  dirk 

And  stab  the  Amendment ;  not  the    swarm 

That  keep  the  party  bee-hives  warm. 

The  parties  are  quite  good  enough — 

Are  made  of  very  best  of  stuff, 

All  parties,  Jones,  embrace  good  men ; 


FHE  "  NEW  PARTY.  "  159 

But  swine  fed  in  the  party  pen 
(Corruption  gaunt,  with  ravenous  Greed, 
Begot  this  home-destroying  breed) 
Deserve  the  metaphoric  knife — 
Take  theirs  and  not  the  parties'  life ! 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Health  nursed  the  party  babes  ;  Decay 
Embraces  them  (old  hags  !)  to-day: 
They  merit  death  ten  million  times 
For  thrice  ten  million  horrid  crimes! 


FARMER    SMITH. 

To  o'erthrow  parties,  build  anew, 
Is  just  the  hardest  thing  to-do — 
Nor  you,  nor  I  can  pull  them  down  ; 
They  perish  when  the  millions  frown — 
Disband  when  they  have  ceased  to  bear 
The  people's  standard  high  in  air. 


LAWYER   JONES. 

The  people's  standard !     Why,  my  friend 
The  people's  rule  is  at  an  end 
Unless  they,  wrathful,  rise  and  slay 
The  rotten  parties  right  away ! 


160  THE  "  NEW  PARTY r 


FARMER    SMITH. 

If  "rotten"  they'll  disintegrate 

And  fall  apart  of  their  own  weight; — 

They  droop  and  die  if  they  engage 

To  stop  the  progress  of  the  age  ; 

Thus  fell  the  Whigs  when  Webster  spoke 

At  Marshfield:     "Bind  the  hateful  yoke 

Upon  the  blacks,  O  Whigs  !     Commend 

The  South  and  stand  the  Oppressor's  friend  f 

Then  Whiggery  felt  the  cruel  knife — ' 

And  from  that  wound  escaped  its  life ! 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Ah  'twas  a  fearful  gash,  friend  Smith  ! 

FARMER   SMITH. 

The  slave-lord's  interest  was  the  pith 

And   marrow  of  the   great  man's  speech  ; — 

And,  Jones,  class  interest  is  the  leech 

That  saps  the  life  of  patriot  zeal — 

(Attachment  to  the  Commonweal) 

And  though  it  nerves  a  sordid  few, 

To  move  the  masses  'Twill  not  do. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Did  not  the  party  (that  may  own 
As  father,  patriot  Jefferson,) 


THE  NEW  PARTY.  161 

Attach  itself  to  Slavery's  car 
And  thus  bring  on  the  civil  war! 

FARMER     SMITH. 

For  seventy  years  the  "public  weal" 

Was  hailed  the  popular  appeal — 

Great  Jackson  raised  his  patriot  hand; 

"  The  Union  shall  eternal  stand ! 

Avaunt!  treason-inflated  ghouls ! 

I'll  hang  ye,  nullifying  fools!" 

But  Jackson  died;  "bosses"  arose, 

The    slave-lords'    friends,    their    country's 

foes — 

'Twas  then  we  heard  the  welkin  ring 
The  horrid  yell :     "  Cotton  is  King !  " 
And  cotton  planters  held  the  reins, 
Were  "all  in  all"  except  the  brains: — 
What  fools  !  to  think  that  their  command 
Could  be  the  law  of  this  great  land  ! 
What  fools !  to  think  one  interest  small 
Could  hold  this  mighty  world  in  thrall ! 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Friend  Smith,  it  is  the  same  to-day; 
The  whiskey  mongers  curbed  of  sway, 
The  mercenary  dogs,  rebel ; 
They  raise  the  hateful  "  rebel  yell " — 

1 1 


H62  THE  NEW  PARTY. 

And  see  owl  Democrats  proclaim 

"  Free  Whiskey  "  in  the  people's  name — 

And  owl  Republicans  the  same! 

Both  Whigs  aud  Democrats  of  old 

Sought  shelter  in  the  slave-lord's  fold — 

(But  Douglas — patriot  soul  and  true — 

From  partnership  with  Wrong  withdrew) 

Just  as  to-day  all  parties  beg 

A  seat  upon  a  lager-keg! 

And  history  thus  repeats  itself; — 

The  parties !  pile  them  on  the  shelf! 

Sell  out,  sell  out  "boss"  Democrats! 

O  herd  of  noisy,  ravenous  rats ! 

Yield  all  things  to  the  beer-fiend's  will — 

Ye  masses,  bow  obedient  still ! 

FARMER    SMITH. 

See,  Progress  halts  not — looks  not  back  ; 
The  party  whips  now  vainly  crack ! 
Home  slays  Saloon  ;  though  ermined  cranks 
Succumb  to  threats  of  vile  beer-tanks — 
The  Court  a  siege-gun;  brewers  load  it; 
They  fire  it  off;  alas!  explode  it ! 
"  Boss  "  Wright  stood  by  to  prime  the  gun — 
His  corpse  lies  stinking  in  the  sun ! 

LAWYER     JONES. 

Smith,  what  of  last  November's  vote? 
The  whiskey-mongers  o'er  it  gloat — 


THE  NE W  PA RTY.  1 6$ 

It  spoke  in  thunder  tones  :     "  Farewell 
To  temperance  laws  and  welcome  Hell. "" 

FARMER     SMITH. 

Not  while  Columbia  has  a  soul 
Will  whiskey-mongers  have  control  f 
Not  while  a  Christian  impulse  thrills 
To  nerve  our  patriotic  wills  ! 
The  car  of  Progress  goes  not  back ; 
But  ever  forward  on  the  track-s— 
Yes,  onward,  forward,  though  up  hill, 
But  onward,  upward,  forward  still! 
And  Reformation  comes  to  earth 
When  man  is  ripe  to  hail  its  birth — 
But,  when  it  comes,  it  comes  to  stay 
And  "bossism"  cannot  drive  't  away. 

LAWYER     JONES. 

Your  logic's  soundness,  Smith,  I  doubt; — 

Who  was  it  counted  Tilden  out? 

A  Reformation  was  that  not — 

A  Reformation  Hell-begot ! 

Corruption  of  the  blackest  kindt 

And  usurpation  deep-designed ! 

By  which  the  people  were  befooled; 

Chicane  and  bare-faced  Bribery  ruled — 

And  office-holding  harpies  dared 

To  trample  on  the  Fhg :  declared 

The  nation's  vote  a  nullity; 

And  now  the  after-birth  we  see — 


164  THE  NEW  PARTY. 

A  tyrant  Court's  hateful  decree  ! 

FARMER    SMITH. 

'Twas  Tilden  !     He's  the  dolt  to  blame ! 
His  coward  action,  what  a  shame ! 
Had  he  e'en  breathed  one  manly  breath ; 
Cried  "  my  just  rights  or  martyr  death, 
Stood  bravely  for  the  common  cause — 
The  Constitution  and  the  Laws — 

• 

Had  whispered  but  the  faintest  word 
Jacksonian — 'twould  have  been  heard ! 

LAWYER     JONES. 

But  still  the  Muse  of  History 
Will  write  it  down  :     "  Black  Infamy !  " 
Ah,  'tis  a  blot,  a  deep  disgrace 
That  time  nor  distance  can  efface — 
A  trick  of  "bossism  "  and  chicane 
Most  criminal  and  most  insane ! 

FARMFR    SMITH. 

But  you  admit  all  that  I  claim  : 

The  "  rank  and  file"  are  not  to  blame 

For  what  the  leaders  madly  do ; 

The  "  parties, "  then,  are  good  and  true  ! 

I  say  the  parties,  each  to  each, 

Are  as  alike  as  peach  to  peach  ; 

Hosts,  hosts  of  sheep  house  in  each  fold; 


THE  NEW  PARTY.  165 

Slay,  slay  the  wolves  we  there  behold  ! 
The  "  bosses  "  (Weaver  and  Judge  Wright) 
Are  as  alike  as  white's  like  white  ; — 
While  man  is  man  'twill  be  a,s  now ; 
The  only  question  asked  is :     "  How    . 
May  I  attain  the  ends  I  seek  ?  " — 
(The  words  of  party  knave  and  sneak) 
Show  him  the  path  to  place  and  power; 
He'll  walk  that  path  before  an  hour  ! 
His  "  views  "  are  very  quick  to  change — 
See  how  the  Courts  knelt  to  the  Grange  ! 

LAWYER     JONES. 

But  now  Corruption  hoWs  the  reins  ; 
A  cranky  Court,  devoid  of  brains. 
Spits  squarely  in  the  people's  face — 
And  we  must  bow  to  this  disgrace ! 
What  was  Jeff  Davis'  crime  to  this  ? 
What  e'en  the  traitor  Judas'  kiss  ? 
Why  they  were  virtues  when  compared 
To  what  a  brainless  Court  have  dared_ 
Smith,  'tis  a  miracle  amends 
Those   knaves — makes    them   the  people's 
frtends  ! 

FARMER     SMITH. 

The  secret  of  success,  Jones,  lies 
Just  in  this  one  word  :     "  Organize." — 
The  Eagle  hears  Reynard's  command 


166  THE  NEW  PARTY, 

When  Reynard  wields  a  fire  brand — 

*'  Grand  Army  " — it  is  listened  to — 

E'en  Congress  hears  the  boys  in  blue. 

To  Courts,  the  Grangers'  speech  was  terse — 

"  The  Dartmouth  College  case  reverse  !  " 

The  Courts  obeyed.     Monopoly 

Then  bowed  its  head  and  bent  its  knee. 

Whose  fault  is't  now  if  farmers  groan? 

Nobody's  fault  except  their  own  ! 

The  whiskey  interest  is  combined ; 

Monopolies  have  but  one  mind — 

All  monied  "rings'"  consolidate 

And  march  en  masse  against  the  State ; 

The  Courts  are  cringing  slaves  to  these ; 

But  we  may  free  them  if  we  please ; 

Our  willing  tribunes  they  become 

If  we  but  strenly  crook  a  thumb — 

Then  Jones  whose  fault  is't  if  the  host 

Of  temperance  has  the  victory  lost? 

J.AWYER  JONES; 

^Clearly  not  ours !     We  spoke  aloud ; 
'The  vote  ! — Oh  I  am  grandly  proud 
Of  its  proportions  !     We  may  found 
A  splendid  party  on  that  ground ! 
The  temperance  banner  now  unfurled 
Will  wave  triumphant  o'er  the  world. 

\ 

FARMER  SMITH. 

Our  Fathers'  voice  long  time  was  heard 


THE  NEW  PARTY.  167 

Shout  "  Loyalty  to  George  the  Third !" 

They  organized  for  legal  ends  ; 

The  bough  may  break ;  but  first  it  bends, 

The  loyal  "  Sons  of  Liberty  " 

Became  sworn  foes  to  Royalty — 

Old  party  ties  are  hard  to  break  ; 

A  last  resort  when  men  forsake 

Old  party  comrads — friends  of  years 

Companions  of  their  hopes  and  fears — 

Parties  break  up  like  ice  in  spring ; 

Then  "  loyal  subjects  "  fight  their  king. 

But,  Jones,  the  maxim  best  to  know 

When  we'd  build  parties,  is,  "go  slow;" 

Had  Greenbackers  pursued  this  course, 

The  greenback  wave  had  rolled  with  force; 

It  might  have  risen  to  overflow 

And  drown  Production's  hated  foe, 

Monopoly.     Its  force  was  lost 

In  gathering  up  a  "  Weaver  Host" 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Say,  do  I  understand  you  now  ? 
First  organize ;  and  (you  avow,) 
A  Warren's  or  Henry's  voice  may  bring 
Us  up  in  arms  against  the  King  ? 

FARMER    SMITH. 

A  rivulet  at  first  we  see, 
The  Mississippi  finally; 


1 68  THE  NEW  PARTY. 

First  count  the  cost,  then  build  the  house — 
The  mountain's  progeny's  a  mouse ; 
Loud  groans  accompanied  its  pains ; 
God  speaks,  but  not  where  Tumult  reigns ! 

LAWYER  JONES. 

Your  views,  friend  Smith,  are  nobly  grand; — 
Here,  Granger,  here's  my  warm  right  hand  I 

F«b.  10,  1883. 


THE  TRUCE. 


LAWYER   JONES,      FARMER   SMITH. 

Cheap  money  will  solve  the  problem  of  free  traded 
WENDELL  PHILLIPS. 

LAWYER    JONES, 

Glad  tidings,  Smith  !     Our  statesmen  say 

There  soon  will  rise  a  happier  day 

When  farmers  shall  receive  their  dueyr — 

How  goes  the  battle,  friend,  with  you  ? 

Has  not  our  Kasson  made  it  plain 

That  with  protection  we  regain 

A  healthful  life  to  Industry 

And  farmers  better  times  shall  see  ? 

Our  Allison  has  fairly  shown 

That  Greenbacks  must  be,  overthrown 

And  bankers  must  be  given  the  sway 

To  bring  in  the  millennial  day. 

The  bankers'  promisory  notes 

Will  pay  for  wheat  aud  corn  and  oats, 

And  move  the  tons  of  beef  and  pork, 

Affording  farmers  ample  work  ; 

And  when  our  bonded  debt  is  paid 

Secure  will  bankers'  notes  be  made 


I/O  THE  TRUCE. 

By  railroad  bonds  and  watered  stocks 

And  mortgages  on  city  blocks, 

And  "  iron-clads  "  on  farms  and  homes 

(The  fruitful  source  whence  interest  comes) 

And  thus  backed  up  those  notes  will  stand 

The  "  money  of  our  favored  land;  " 

And  Uncle  Sam  ('tis  understood) 

Will  still  delight  to  make  them  good; 

*'  Receivable  for  Federal  tax  " 

Still  gladly  stamp  upon  their  backs ; 

But  "lawful  money  "  (Greenback  notes 

That  paid  our  glorious  blue  coats) 

He  will  put  down !     No  mere  fiat; 

Let  government  endorse  "  wild  cat.  " 

FARMER    SMITH. 

A  farmer,  you,  and  tell  the  truth  ! 
A  "  cranky  "  idiot,  forsooth, 
A  lunatic  not  fit  to  live, 
Would  still  know  better  than  to  give 
Kasson's  and  Allison's  quack  pills 
To  purge  our  country  of  her  ills. 
To  "  help  the  people  "  they  pretend; 
To  serve  the  millionaries,  the  end ! 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Smith,    how   you   rave ;     Those   men    /  **  ** 

doubt 
True  patriots)  would  bring  about 


THE  TRUCE.  171 

Most  prosperous  times.     Statesmen  indeed ; 
They  know  just  what  the  people  need. 
The  Greenback  (Oh,  most  dangerous  thing!) 
Builds  up  a  governmental  ring. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

A  monstrous  "  ring  "  your  fears  present  ; 
The  "  people  are  the  government" — 
Ring  may  they  be  !     Upon  my  word 
You  give  to  toil  a  two-edged  sword 
When  promissory  notes  you  hold 
To  be  a  money  good  as  gold. 
Our  government  deign  to  receive 
Bank-notes  for  taxes  !     Jones,  believe, 
This  precedent  will  rise  and  slay 
Old  King  Monopoly  some  day. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

Your  words  amaze  me !     Let  me  hear 
You,  farmer  Smith,  make  this  appear. 

FARMER   SMITH. 

Let  farmers'  notes  (backed  by  good  lands 
Like  bankers'  notes  are  backed  by  bonds) 
Be  put  ..afloat :  the  government 
Give  them  endorsement  that  is  lent 
*To  Bankers'  notes  !     "  Not  to  refuse 
The  farmers'  notes  for  excise  dues.  ' ' 


172  THE  TRUCE. 

A  tax  of  one  per  cent  be  paid 
(The  same  that  on  bank-notes  is  laid) 
Then  bankers'  ten  per  cent  is  gone 
And  Usury  has  lost  the  throne  ! 

LAWYER    JONES. 

'Tis  so,,  indeed,  I  must  confess ! 

Our  Allison  will  favor  this ! 

He  surely  will ;  a  Western  man 

Cannot  oppose  so  just  a  plan; 

Our  lands  are  good  security  : 

The  notes  of  farmers  then  will  be 

As  good  as  national  bank  scrip. 

With  such  "  sound  currency  "  the  ship 

Of  state  will  ever  ride  secure; 

Our  liberties,  for  aye,  endure. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

Well,  Jones,  I  am  surprised  to  see 

You  grasp  this  truth  so  heartily — 

My  prejudice  had  grown  so  strong 

'Gainst  lawyers,  that  I  thought  them  wrong 

In  everything.     But  now  I  own 

Rank  prejudice  is  overthrown. 

Yet,  Jones,  believe,  in  this  fair  land, 

May  Free-trade  and  Protection  stand 

Right  side  by  side  and  hand  in  hand. 


THE  TRUCE.  173 

LAWYER  JONES, 

Oh,  pshaw  !     You  raise  too  big  a  "  boo  !" 
This  paradox  cannot  be  true — 
Free-trade !     Protection  ! — are  not  these, 
Friend  Smith,  direct  antipodes  ? 

FARMER    SMTIH. 

Not  so ;  cheap  money  will  untie 
The  knot  of  your  perplexity. 

LAWYER     JONES. 

Why,  Smith,  how  is  it  ? — let  me  hear  ; 
I  doubt  if  you  can  make  this  clear. 

FARMER     SMITH. 

Let  "  operatives  "  associate 

And  form  a  "  body-corporate  " 

And  put  afloat  their  legal  "  notes. " 

The  care  the  government  devotes 

To  bankers'  scrip  let  it  concede 

To  these,  and  lo !  they're  cash  indeed  ! 

This  "  workmen's  scrip  "  will  build  up,  then, 

Big  factories  for  working  men  ; 

These  factories  so  built  will  be 

The  government's  "  security  ; " 

But  not  in  factory,  not  in  farm 

The  safety ;  but  the  toiler's  arm  ; 


1/4  THE  TRUCE. 

Securest  pledge  to  common  weal 
Are  Labor's  plighted  hand  and  seal ! 
Yet  all  the  government  need  care 
Is  to  receive  its  annual  share 
Of  profits — just  the  one  per  cent, 
Of  interest  due  the  government : 
'Tis  all  the  bankers  give  to-day ; 
Tis  all  the  factory  hands  should  pay. 
We  reach  our  highest  "  duty  "  when 
We  most  protect  our  working-men  ; 
Cheap  money  and  protection  meet — 
Great  Britain  cannot  then  compete 
With  Labor  here.     When  Labor  owns 
The  factories,  she  grinds  the  bones 
Of  Britain's  money-lords  and  brings 
Down  from  their  thrones  the  factory  kings; 
Free  be  our  ports  1     We  now  defy 
King  Gold  and  King  Monopoly  ! 

LAWYER    JONES. 

I  see  the  point;  our  working-men 

Receiving  all  the  profits  then, 

Our  goods  torever  undersell 

All  foreign  goods.     We  thus  expel 

All  foreign  wares.         Our  toilers  stand 

The  monarchs  of  our  happy  land  ! 

June  4, 1882. 


BROTHERHOOD. 


LAWYER   JONES   AND    FARMER   SMITH. 

"If  ye  salute  your  brethren  only  what  do  ye  more  than? 
others  ?    Do  not  even  the  publicans  so  ?" — JESUS 

LAWYER   JONES. 

Well,  Farmer  Smithj  our  nation's  birth1 
We  hail  to-day, — the  Glorious  Fourth  T. 
All  men  with  one  united  voice, 
Throw  up  their  beavers  and  rejoice — 
Odd  Fellows  and  Free  Masons  march  r 
The  Plumed  Knights,  the  Royal  Arch, 
United  are  each  brotherhood 
In  one  grand  purpose  to  do  good. 

FARMER   SMITH. 

"  Unchristian  "  is  the  fittest  term 
To  designate  each  narrow  firm, 
United  for  a  selfish  end 
Is  just  their  highest  recommend — 
True  patriots,  Jones,  'tis  understood,. 
Associate  for  the  general  good. 


i;6  BROTHERHOOD. 

LAWYER    JONES. 

And,  Farmer  Smith,  great  good  we  see 
The  fruit  of  each  fraternity  : 
Poor  widows  in  their  gratitude, 
And  orphans  bless  each  brotherhood. 

FARMER     SMITH. 

You  would  as  well  reside  in  Hell 

As  in  a  lodge-cursed  town  to  dwell — 

Not  a  friend  you  ever  meet ; 

Not  a  neighbor  on  the  street — 

But  an  alien  you  will  be 

Unknown  in  that  community — 

Ask  a  favor,  you  are  spurned  ; 

Or  like  Servetus,  you  are  burned — 

Or  "  hanged  and  quartered  "  if  you  dare 

To  crave  a  breath  of  vital  air  ! 

LAWYER  JONES. 

Why  Farmer  Smith,  'tis  indiscreet 
Eor  you  to  talk  so  on  the  street ; 
The  lodge — the  family  made  large — 
"To  help  each  other,"  is  the  charge. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

Those  selfish  orders  in  their  greed, 
Judaism  gone  to  seed — 


BROTHERHOOD.  177 

Their  deeps  of  mystery  conceal 

The  brainless,  eyeless  lamper-eel 

That  fattens  on  the  life  and  health 

Of  the  depleted  Commonwealth. 

Away  with  tribes !     Give  me  a  State 

In  which  all  interests  congregate  ! 

Hence,  monkish  recluse,  to  thy  cave! 

Hence,  selfish  "brother,"  to  thy  grave  I 

Hail  Patriot !     Thy  life  and  health 

(Loving  thy  neighbor  as  thyself) 

Are  wedded  to  the  Commonwealth  : 

As  comprehensive  thy  regard 

As  is  the  love  of  Christ  our  Lord. 

How  narrow  these!    Each  clannish  "Knight" 

Is  sworn  to  trample  on  the  right — 

Is  sworn  with  all  his  strength  to  cling 

To  sordid  interests  of  a  "ring" — 

All  true  philanthropy  must  fail 

While  still  the  cry  is  "Saxon,"  "Gael  T 

LAWYER  JONES. 

These  orders  were  not  built  to  fence 
Out  Love  and  true  Benevolence. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

Ah,  neighbor  Jones,  dark  shadow  they 
(The  substance  long  since  passed  away)> 
12 


178  BROTHERHOOD. 

Dark  shadow  of  a  cruel  horde 
That  scourged  the  nations  with  the  sword, 
Out-growth  of  savagery,  turmoil, 
Banditti  ravaging  for  spoil, 
And  sworn  (with  noose  on  neck)  to  stand 
True  to  the  "brothers"  of  their  band. 
Few,  only  few,  the  clans  protect; 
The  many  suffer  their  neglect — 
Build  up  a  Christian  Brotherhood 
That  will  the  human  race  include— 
JLet  not  an  orphan  child  be  found 
Uncared  for  on  the  top  of  ground  ; 
Let  not  a  widow  e'er  be  sent 
To  poor-house  from  her  tenement— 
Provide  for  them  abundantly, 
And  not  in  name  of  "Charity." 
Vile  "Charity"— a  word  accurst — 
Of  odious  words  the  very  worst ! 


LAWYER  JONES. 

It  will  be  done!     I  have  no  doubt 
The  lodge  will  help  bring  this  about- 
She  educates  men  to  dispense 
Their  gifts  with  true  munificence ; 
She  educates  them  to  bestow 
Their  wealth  to  lighten  human  woe; 
Teacher  of  love  and  righteousness, 
She  lifts  the  helpless  from  distress. 


BROTHERHOOD.  179 

FARMER  SMITH. 

Not  so  ;  the  contrary  is  true  : 

While  lodges  still  exist,  will  you 

Behold  the  members  of  those  bands 

Ever  attempt  to  tie  the  hands 

Of  "overseers  of  the  poor," 

Begrudging  e'en  the  scanty  store 

The  law  provides,  cursing  the  tax 

As  "onerous  burden"  on  their  backs, 

The  lodge  (a  state  within  a  State, 

A  ''one-horse"  body  corporate) 

Wheels  them  along.     They  soundly  sleep 

While  orphans  starve  and  widows  weep ; 

But  could  the  lodge  be  done  away 

Then  every  citizen'  would  pray 

For  full  provision  for  the  poor, 

For  widows,  orphans,  ample  store ; 

Would  hail  a  true  fraternity 

Of  every  soul  on  laad  and  sea  ; 

I  trust  that  this  may  shortly  be. 

LAWYER  JONES. 

Perfect  the  State  !     It  is  decreed 
That  clanship  dies  when  dies  its  need. 

FARMER    SMITH. 

What  conquerer,  neighbor  Jones,  will  reign 
Above  those  "rings"  a  Charlemagne? 


180  BROTHERHOOD. 

1     Who,  out  of  narrowness,  bring  forth 
A  New  Jerusalem  on  earth  ? 

LAWYER  JONES. 

The  "Gentile"  millions  when  awake, 
Those  narrow  "Judean  rings"  will  break  ; — 
But  I  perceive  that  we  agree ; 
So  let  us  join  the  jubilee. 

Juty  lOth  17  2. 


ALBION'S  DISGRACE 


The  bodies  of  Egyptian  soldiers  were  hacked  and 
slashed  almost  out  of  resemblance  to  humanity  by 
the  long  broadswords  of  the  English  Life  Guards, 
One  young]  Egyptian  officer  still  heldjan  unlighted 
•cigarette  in  his  stiffened  fingers.-  -Associated  Press 
Dispatch,  Aug.  31st,  1882. 

Morals  are  the  basis  of  politics.  Perhaps  my  step 
will  divide  my  party  ;  but  I  cannot  abandon  my 
principles  from  any  regard  for  my  party  or  my  affec 
tion  for  my  friends. — John  Bright. 

Say,  was  it  worse  to  slay  with  ^dynamite 

The  Russian  Czar,  or  stab  with  cruel  knife 

Lord  Cavendish  and  Burke,  than  thus  to  hack 

And  slash  and  hew  with  murderous  great  swords 

Beyond  resemblance  to  humanity 

The  inoffensive  agriculturists, 

That  crouch  in  roofless   huts  along  the  Nile  ? 

Was  not  the  life  of  that  young  officer, 

That  fell  beneath  the  merciless  broadsword, 

Still  holding  an  unlighted  cigarette, 

Clutched  in  his  stiffened  fingers,  worth  as  much 

As  that  of  Queen  Victoria  or  her  son 

Whom  she  restrained  from  hastening  to  the  front? 

Then  why  did  she  not  hold  the  nation  back 


1 82  ALBION'S  DISGRACE. 

From  this  most  foul  and  barberous  enterprise? 

Is  royal  blood  too  sacred  to  be  spilt? 

Ah,  human  blood  's  too  sacred  to  be  spilt ! 

The  queen  bethought  herself  to  curb  her  son ; 

To'negative  his  rage  for  human  gore ! 

Indeed!   was  this  the  cause  of  the  decree 

Against  her  scion's  arming  for  the  fight  ? 

It  should  have  been  the  cause  and  motive  grand 

A  motive  worthy  of  the  "Christian  Queen" 

That  she  is  styled  by  those  who  worship  her. 

She  should  have  said: 

"  Edward,  my  royal  son, 
Die,  if  need  be,  as  Jesus  died  for  men; 
Live  (while  thou  livest)  a  good  Samaritan  ; 
Bind  up  the  wounds  of  those  fallen  by  the  way  ; 
And   nurse   thou    e'en   the  afflicted  with  Black 

Death, 

Though  thy  own  life  be  forfeit  to  the  act, 
Yet  never  wrong  of  life  thy  fellow  man ; 
Give  up  thine  own  to  bless  humanity, 
But  look  with  horror  on  aggressive  war ; 
For  war  is  horrible  in  any  guise — 
The  greatest  evil  that  afflicts  mankind — 
'Tis  always  wrong,  and  never,  never  right! 
Bring  joy,   my   son,  to  all  the  suffering  poor; 
Forgive  the  debtor,  as  thou 'dst  be  forgiven; 
Abolish   rent  as   an   immoral  tax, 
And   usury  as   robbery  most  foul ; 
Take  in  thy  arms   the  helpless  everywhere — 


ALBION'S  DISGRACE.      .183 

Like  Howard,  find  the  darkest  prison  hells, 
Open  their  grates  and  let  God's  sunlight  in; 
Lift  up  the  lowly  and  make  glad  all  hearts  ; 
Cry  :  'Wars,  be  thou  no  more  !'     'And  O,    grim 

swords, 
Change  thou  to  plowshares  !  spears  to  pruning 

hooks! 
And  Peace,  and  Love  and  Brotherhood  prevail  !'* 

The  world  united  as  one  family, 

Speaking,  by  telegraph  and  telephone,. 

Congratulations  to  enfranchised  States, 

Saying,  "O,  India,  stand  upon  thy  feet ! 

O,  Africa,  behold  thou  art  a  queen  1 

Thy  Egypt  is  the  freest  of  the  free, 

After  dire  bondage  of  three  thousand  years, 

To  Medes   and  Persians,    Greeks,  Romans  and 

Turks ! 

Green  Ireland,  hail!     Thy  ancient  liberties 
Are  guaranteed  by  England's  gracious  voice; 
Behold!  again  angelic  hosts  rejoice, 
Loud  chanting,  'Peace  on    Earth,  Good  Will  to* 

Men!' 

The  constellations  clap  their  hands  and  sing; 
The  sons  of  God  shout  peans  of  great  joy  !'" 

'Tis  thus  he  would  have  said — the  aged  chief 
Of  whom,  great  Albion,  thou  art  rightly  proud  ! 
John  Bright !  one  glorious  act  has  given  to  thee 
A  seat  above  all  sceptered  royalty  ; 
Thy  grand  refusal  to  record  thy  name 


1 84  ALBION'S  DISGRA  CE. 

In  favor  of  the  cruel,  causeless  war 

;t  Gainst  Egypt !     Thou,  great    Commoner   hast 

stood 
Ever  for  Peace  and  Human  Brotherhood. 

The  hungry  vultures  of  the  Christian  North 
Swoop  down  on  Islam  with  unchristian  swords — 
St.  George's  cross,  emblem  of  savagery, 
Displayed  from  mastheads  high  o'er  the  canal, 
/Highway  to  India,  through  which  huge  ships 
Pass  and  repass,  freighted  with  stolen  goods 
And  guns  and  bombs,  artillery  to  hold 
'The  tributary  nations  still  enchained 
'Behind  the  chariot  of  Nobility, 
To  grace  the  triumph  of  the  "privileged  few" 
That  flaunt  their  wealth  and  trample  upon  Toil. 
The  commons  reap  no  good,  no  benefit 
Prom  England's  wars  and  savage  tyranny. 
What  wages  do  her  soldiers  get  who  fight 
And  maim  and  murder  for  a  livelihood  ? 
Who  slash  and  hack  with  merciless  broadswords 
Out  of  all  semblance  to  humanity 
The  youthful  patriots  of  feeble  states. 
What  wages  do  her  seamen  get,  who  moil 
*On  deck  and  in  the  rigging,  through  the  heat 
•Of  tropic  suns,  or  where  old  Boreas'  sleet 
•Cuts  their  rough  faces,  or  the  hurricane  „ 
.'Sweeps   by  and   leaves    them   clinging   to    the 

wreck  ? 
Her   f<  Life    Guards"    force  poor  farmers  to  pay 

"rents ;" 


ALBION'S  DISGRA CE.  185 

Who  grasp  the  rents  as  soon  as  they  are  paid  ? 

The  "  Lord  his  God"— British  Nobility  ! 

Life  guards,  forsooth!     Vile  murderers  the  name 

That  fitly  designates  her  hounds  of  war, 

Oh,  that  from  cobwebs,  men's  ideas  were  cleansed, 

That  things  of  evil  might  have  their  true  names! 

Then  war   would   be  called   "hell"  (too   mild  a 

term !) 

And  kings  called  "devils,"  and  nobility, 
(A  gentle  appellation  would  be  "wolves/') 
Could  not  exist  to  ever  need  a  name  ! 

.Sep  tember  1,  1882. 


THE  PATRIOT'S  CHOICE. 


What  party  of  the  free,  to-day 

May  claim  the  patriot's  warm  regard? 

Is  there  a  sun  to  light  his  way  ? 
Or  is  he  from  all  light  debarred  ? 

Is  there  a  compass,  star  or  chart 
That  he  may  trust  and  safely  sail! 

To  Freedom's  happy  port  and  martj 
And  shun  the  rocks  and  stem  the  gale? 

"  A  good  tree  cannot  choose  but  bear 
Good  fruit  "  (the  Bible  plainly  says,) 

"The  choicest  fruit,"  (hear  it  declare) 
"  Is  mark  of  choicest  tree  always,"" 

So  we  may  take  this  chart  a»d  guide 
(The  staff  of  age,  the  shield  of  youth) 

And  cross  life's  ocean  de«p  and  wide 
And  reach  the  haven  of  all  truth. 

First,  what's  the  tree?     Where  are  the  men. 

That  raised  our  ensign  from  the  dust 
Where  it  was  trailed — restored  again 

The  Union — our  immortal  trust? 


THE  PA  TRIOTS  CHOICE.          1871 

Have  they  a  voice  ?  And  when  they  speak 
Is  their  just  mandate  kindly  heard  ? 

The  men  who  fought,  (the  brave  and  meek)> 
What  party  hearkens  to  their  word  ? 

It  has  my  vote !     It  is  my  choice 

To  stand  with  those  who  hear  and  heed-' 

Their  living,  patriotic  voice, 

Who  for  the  Union  dared  to  bleed. 

The  people  speak  :  "  Remove  the  woe, 
The  curse  that  blights  the  hopes  of  all ! 

Strikes  down  our  boys  !"     O  patriot  know 
What  party  hearkens  to  their  call  ! 

'Twill  live  while  thus  ft  represents 
The  progress  of  this  lightning  age; 

'Twill  live  and  give  us  Presidents, 

Though  "Stalwarts"   bite  the    dust  with* 
rage. 

The  "Stalwart!" — type  of  dough-faced  crew 
That  yielded  to  the  "boss"  demands 

Of  those  who  haughtily  "withdrew" 
To  tear  the  Flag  with  bloody  hands, 

"  Secession  and  State  Rights !"  the  word 

To  hide  their  mercenary  aims  ; 
They,  hugging  slavery,  seized  the  sworcj; 

The  curse  died  out  in  blood  and  flames,  - 


.188          THE  PA  TRIOTS  CHOICE. 

Old  England — hypocrite  and  sneak  ! 

Reached  out  her  hand  to  overthrow 
Our  righteous  government  and  wreak 

Sweet  vengeance  on  an  ancient  foe. 

But  she  was  foiled.     Again  behold 
Her  coward  form  behind  our  door  ! 

.Armed  cap-a-pie  with  British  gold 
The  "Stalwart"  is  her  paramour. 

The  wrath  of  man  gives  praise  to  God, 
And  out  of  evil  good  comes  forth; 

Our  Fathers  felt  the  tyrant's  rod; 
To  Freedom,  Tyranny  gave  birth. 

Were  not  the  people  wide  awake 

To  grasp  the  scoundrels  by  the  throat, 

The  whiskey  and  gold  "rings"  would  break 
The  rudder  of  the  party  boat ! 

When  parties  swerve  from  path  of  right, 
And  private  interests  seize  control, 

They  fall  before  the  people's  might — 
Thus  perish  every  sordid  soul ! 

Though  war  should  follow,  not  a  jot 

Will  patriots  e'er  'budge  from  the  track ; 
"Remember  the  slave-holder's  lot ! 
Remember  the  enfranchised  black  ! 

."Next,  what's  the  fruit?    Our  land  redeemed 
From  Slavery's  black,  all-blighting  curse ; 


THE  PA  TRIOTS  CHOICE.          1 89 

America,  her  flag  esteemed — 

Who  follows  now  Secession's  herse  ? 

Honor  to  Lincoln  and  to  Grant, 

(The  veterans  that  they  represent — 

Their  fame's  engraved  on  adamant) 
Grant,  General  not  President. 

The  end  behold,  of  that  dread  strife, 
The  grandest  government  on  earth ! 

Democracy  clothed  with  new  life — 
And  Liberty  receives  new  birth  ! 

How  lenient !   how  kindl  how  just ! 

May  freemen  now  afford  to  be  ! 
The  olive  branch  extend — "  distrust }> 

Write  on  the  ensign  of  the  free. 

Distrust  the  men  who  dared  to  raise 
Rebellious  hands  against  the  Flag ; 

Distrust  the  meji  who  caught  the  craze 
To  cheer  the  hateful  rebel  rag. 

Their  just  demands  be  quick  to  heed, 
And  be  we  toward  them  over  kind — 

And  them  as  little  children  lead, 
Yea,  even  to  their  faults  be  blind. 

Yet,  let  them  never  rule  the  State, 
And  never  hold  the  reins  of  power  ; 

But  let  them  ask  and  not  dictate, 

Ah,  once  they  ruled,  oh  dreadful  hour!' 


THE  PA  TRIOTS  CHOICE. 

The  Puritan  gave  us  our  laws, 

The  Puritan  gave  us  our  schools; 

Ours  still  is  Cromwell's  "good  old  cause;  " 
Rave  as  we  may,  New  England  rules ! 

"She  ought  to  rule !     Her  sons  stand  forth 
The  grandest,  mightiest  men  of  earth  ! 

What  is  New  England  now  ?     The  North  ! 
Her  ideas  are  our  strength  and  worth ! 

.And  "Yankee"  is  a  grand  old  name  ! 

Yea,  'tis  almost  a  hallowed  word, — 
The  "Yankee  Soldier,"— man  of  fame! 

Too  staunch  for  Jeff,  and  George  the  Third! 

This  is  the  fruit :     One  word  will  say 
All  that  a  thousand  words  express — 

The  party  lasts  that  will  display 

On  high  the  glorious  word  "  Progress." 

""Go  slow!"     The  mandate  of  the  wise  ; 

Go  slow  ;  but  on  and  always  sure  ; 
.Go  slow ;  be  ever  on  the  rise ! 

On,  on,  up,    up,  toward  heaven's   bright 
door. 

The  party  that  sends  to  the  rear 

The  dull,  reactionary  drones, 
The  party  that  will  quickly  hear 

The  voice  of  Progress  and  disowns 


THE  PA  TRIOTS  CHOICE.          191 

The    knaves — the     star  -  route    thugs    and 
scamps — 

Brings  them  to  speedy  punishment — 
And  e'en  the  gormandizing  tramps 

That  lead  astray  our  President — 

(To  save  one  leaky  lager-keg, 

Hark!  hear  hoarse  howls  of  rage  and  hate! 
See  bloated  miscreants  tear  the  Flag 

And  Constitution  of  the  State !) 

The  party  made  of  timber  sound 
(It  comprehends  a  worthier  sort 

Of  people,  that  with  nerve  profound 
Enforce  the  laws)  will  hold  the  fort. 

And  to  this  party  soon  will  haste 
All  patriots  true  of  every  name  ; 

The  patriot  will  with  patriots  cast 
His  lot  an,d  shun  the  tents  of  shame. 

.October  10,  1882. 


THE    COPPERHEAD. 


''He got  behind  a  mountain  top 

To  hide  himself  from  God."— OLD  SONG, 

When  blood  of  patriots  was  shed 
The  nation  cursed  the  Copperhead, 
Supposed  she  left  the  reptile  dead  ; 

But  is  it  dead, 

The  Copperhead  ? 

Our  mothers  shout,  our  wives  rejoice 

At  Iowa's  benignant  voice : 

But  now  we  hear  a  hissing  noise — 

Hark!     Is  it  dead, 

The  Copperhead? 
A  venom  still  the  reptile  hath, 
All  coiled  up  in  the  patriot's  path : 
Again  we  curse  it  in  our  wrath ; 

It  is  not  dead, 

The  Copperhead ! 

How  Iowa  waked  when  Sumpter  fell ! 
Recall  the  horrid  rebel  yell, 
Our  souls  with  indignation  swell  L 

Hissed  at  our  dead, 

The  Copperhead ! 


THE  COPPERHEAD.  193 

Again  has  Iowa  awoke  , 

Hurled  down  Intemperance'  demon  yoke, 

And  quenched  hell-fire  !     Shall  she  revoke 

What  she  has  said 

O  Copperhead  ? 

Why  show  your  fangs  in  this  great  hour  ? 
Think  you  to  seize  the  reins  of  power? 
Think  you  our  glorious  flag  to  lower, 

By  beer-bloats  led 

Vile    Copperhead  ? 

Loud  was  the  boast :     "  Cotton  is  King  !" 
Who  would  rule  now  ?     The  Whiskey  ring! 
But,  mark  me,  Wrong's  a  feeble  thing, 

A  tender  thread, 

Foul  Copperhead  ! 

Above  us  shines  a  glorious  sun  ; 
For  Iowa  has  her  duty  done, 
A  mighty  victory  she  has  won, 

Though  snakes  we  dread 

Base  Copperhead ! 

We  struck  down  Slavery  years  ago ; 
To-day  we  smite  a  viler  foe, 
The  author  of  all  human  woe, — 

You've  made  your  bed, 

Sleek  Copperhead  ! 
13 


I94  THE  COPPERHEAD. 

King  Alcohol  shall  bite  the  dust 

Smitten  by  Iowa's  disgust. — 

The  Copperhead — but  squirm  it  must- 

The  devil  fed 

The  Copperhead  ! 

The  beast  of  the  Apocalypse 
O'er  Iowa  would  bring  eclipse ; 
It  kisses  with  its  nauseous  lips 

What  erst  it  wed, 

The  Copperhead! 

1182 


LICENSE    WRONG 


Put  it  strong: 
License  wrong — 
Hoist  the  sign  : 
"  BEER  AND  WINE:' 
Strike  men  down 
In  fhis  town  — 
Curse  the  lives 
Of  their  wives; 
Make  them  slaves ; 
Dig  their  graves — 
Poison  Youth; 
Murder  Truth  ; 
Fill  the  air 
With  despair— 
Put  it  strong : 
License  Wrong. 

August,   1883. 


AN  "  AMENDMENT  "  SONNET. 


''If  any  man  haul  down  the  American  .Flag,  shoot 
him  on  the  spot." — GEST.  JOHN  A.  Dix,  1861. 


These  words  have  burnt  their  way into^my heart! 

The  Flag  is  emblem  of  rhe  people's  cause, 

Their   righteous    wil!    expressed  in  righteous 

laws. 
Brave  Dix,  thou  'dst  make  the  accursed  traitors 

smart 
That  trample  on  the  Flag's  great  counterpart 

(The  Constitution)  with  their  forked  paws  ! 

They  belch  foul  treason  from  polluted  maws,. 
And  sell  our  country^m  the  devil's  mart; 
Defy  the  verdict  of  the[people's  votes ; 

Define  the  license  "  personal  liberty" 

To  drag  our  children  to  debauchery 
And  the  society  of  beastial  bloats. 
Thy  gfim  war  order,  Dix(  we've  not  forgot ; 

"Who  lowers  Jour  ensign,  shoot  him  on  the 
spot." 

Sept.  11,  1884. 


TYRANNOUS  ENGLAND. 


A  man  named  John  McMahon,  an  evicted  ten 
ant,  applied  to  the  Board  of  Guardians  for  relief, 
when  the  following  facts  were  elicited  : 

Chairman — I  believe  during  the  eviction  a 
child  of  yours  died. 

Mr.  McMahon — Yes,  sir,  a  fine  girl  eighteen 
years  old. 

Mr.  O'Brien — Was  the  agent  there  ? 

Mr.  McMahon— Yes,  sir;  Mr.  Bastable  Hil- 
liad  was  there.  When  my  poor  child  heard  that 
the  Sheriff  would  come  to  turn  us  out  of  house 
and  home,  she  being,  ailing  previously,  became 
very  bad  ;  and  when  we  were  put  out,  the  snow 
falling  thick  and  fast  about  us,  I  took  the  door 
off  the  hinges  to  shelter  her,  but  the  bailiffs  pull 
ed  it  away.  My  child  died  there,  with  nothing 
to  protect  her  remains  from  the  blast,  but  a  little 
sheet. 

Mr.  McMahon,  in  reply  to  the  Board,  said  that 
he  had  at  present  nine  children  beside  his  wife 
to  support. 

—REPORT  OF  MEETING  OF  BOARD  or  GUARDIANS  OF 
KILLARNEY,  IRELAND. 


j 98  TYRANNOUS  ENGLAND. 

I  execrate  thee,  England!     Thy  tyranny 
(More  infamous  than  that  of  Muscovite 
Or  barbarous  Turk,  disgraceful  to  the  age 
That  boasts  of  "progress"  and  "philanthropy,") 
Must  be   o'erthrown !      AM    Christendom  shall 

rise 

Against  thee — not  with  sword  and  needle-gun 
And  dynamite,  that  tho.u  delightest  to  use 
Against  the  Zulus — but  with  withering  scorn; 
Thy  name,O  England,  shall  be  hissed  by  all — 
Though  speech  and  language  are  inadequate 
To  meet  the  horrors  of  thy  cruelty ; 
The  Indian's  scalping  knife  and  tomahawk 
Are  kindness  when  compared  to  thy  vile  "lewsMJ: 
Yea,  Nihilistic  anarchy  and  war. 
Nothing  so  cruel  as  thy  "government ;" 
Nothing  so  wicked  as  thy  bailiffs  are, 
Acting  obedient  to  thy  lords'  commands, 
Thy    boasted     cofnmons'    and    thy    pampered 

queen's. 

?    *t.  11,  1882. 


FORE-WARNED. 


A  ycry  important  case  comes  up  for  argument  in 
the  Uaited  States  Supreme  Court  October  9th.  It  in 
volves  the  constitutionality  of  the  re-issue  of  green 
backs  since  the  war.— Associated  Press  Dispatch, 
Sept.  25M,  1883. 

Treason  is  rife  to-day.     The  "  Stalwart"  breed 
Have  packed  the  Court  with  tools  of  Corporate 

Greed — 

Above  the  President  the  ermined  crew, 
Above  the  Congress  and  the  people,  too, 
Now  sit  usurpers — tyrants,  rank  and  vile,. 
Paid  tools  to  enslave  us  to  the  British  isle.. 
Thfr  trigger  has  been  set ;  the  deadfall  see 
Prepared  to  crush  the  life  of  Liberty  ! 
The  court,  obedient  to  the    "Stalwart"  breed, 
Obedient  to  the  v»ice  of  British  greed, 
Will  stab  the   greenback.     It  is  doomed — and 

lo! 

We  shall  be  plunged  in  a  Hell  of  woe ! 
Columbia,  see  her  writhe,  see  Freedom  weep  I 
Wake,  patriots  !   wake  from  Rip  Van  Winkle 

sleep ! 
Arise  and  speak  ;  make  known  your  sovereign 

will— 


200  FORE-  WARNED. 

The  dart   that's   thrown    at  you  hurl   back  to 

kill! 

Let  "  hari-kari"  be  the  usurpers'  lot 
As    when    go-vned   Tyranny   enslaved    Dred 

Scott. 

October  3d,  1883. 


A    SONNET 

ON  THE  NULLIFICATION  OF  "  CIVIL  RIGHTS"  BY  THE 
SUPREME  TYRANNY 

O  Jefferson  !  thy  prophecy  is  true  ! 

"  The  Courts  will  overthrow  our  liberty  ; 

They  will  become  a  Jtateful  tyranny." 
There  is  no  villainy  they  dare  not  do ; 

They  re-establish  caste,  build  up  the  few, 

And  re-enslave  the  millions  we  set  free ; 
They  are  a  scab — a  fatal  leprosy — 

A  loathsome,  rotten  "eight-to-seven"  crew, 

Tyrants  "supreme" — they  nullify  the  laws. 
O  freemen !  sound  the  tocsin  of  alarm  ! 

Unturl  the  ensign  of  the  common  cause ; 

Put  down   usurpers   with   thy  strong  right 

arm; 
Pull  out  the  lion's  teeth  and  clip  his  claws 

Before  he  do  Columbia  fatal  harm. 

October  20th,  1883, 


GEANTISM  GABEOTED. 


CHICAGO,  JUNE  2,  3,  4, 1880, 


How  the  politicians  revel ! 
Bribed  bulldozers, 
Loathsome  leeches — 
Vilest  vermin  of  the  devil ! 
Third-term  tories  : 
Wranglers, 
Janglers, — 
Hear  their  screeches ! 

John  Bull  flunkeys, 
Monkeys, 

Braying  donkeys — 
Base  be-gotten  beasts  of  Belial,. 
How  they  rant ! 
Hark  the  slogan ! 
ConkKng,  Cameron  and  Logan, 
j  Howl  for  Grant! 

!  The  money  ling 

By  bribery  rules — 
Conclave  of  fools, 
Gold  is  your  King_ 


GRANTISM   GARROTED.          303; 

O.  abject  slaves ! 

O,  shameless  knaves.! 
Ye  dig  to-day  your  loathsome  graves  : 

Ye  sink  so  deep, 

When  Gabriel  blows 
'Twill  not  disturb  your  damned  reposer 

Your  endless  sleep ! 


June  3,  1«80. 


PASS  THE  HAT. 


"  We  gave  General  Grant  two  terms  of  the  Presi 
dency  ann  then  dropped  him  to  pass  the  rest  of  his 
days  in  poverty,  with  no  opportunity  to  make  a  living. 
*  *  *  General  Grant  turned  out  to  grass  as 
his  final  reward."— Chicago  Tribune,  Nov-  9th, 
1879, 

''A  Colosus  of  ignorance."— CHARLES   SUMNER. 
Ulysses  come  to  want ! 

Pass  the  hat ! 
A  "salary  grabber"  gaunt! 

Pass  the  hat! 
Poor  Grant  "  turned  out  to  grass ;" 

Pass  the  hat ! 
A  pitiable  ass ! 

Pass  the  hat ! 
Starved  bones  led  out  to  die  ; 

Pass  the  hat ! 
Ingratitude,  "shoo  fly!" 

Pass  the  hat ! 
A  nickel  will  relieve — 

Pass  the  hat ! 
Poor  starvling  !  thou  shalt  live  ! 

Pass  the  hat ! 

November,  1879 


EPITAPHS 


I. 

ON  A  SOKDID   MILLEE. 

Here  lie  the  bones  of  miller  John  — 
Body  rotted  (soul  had  none) 
He  ground  and  ground  and  ground  the  poor; 
But  now.  thank  God,  he  grinds  no  more. 

July  15th,  1877. 

II. 

ON  A  MEMBER  OF  CONGRESS. 

(Engraved  with  a  pencil  of  chalk  on  his  sarcophagus 
of  basswood.) 

A  big  blockhead 
Lies  here,  stone  dead  — 
Gillette,  Gillette- 
Upset,  upset. 

August.  1880. 


ON  A  POLITICIAN. 

Drop  a  tear 

On  Weaver's  bier; 

He  defended  the  "Amendment"  at  last, 

After  it  passed  ; 

And  he  commended  Prohibition 

To  perdition. 

August  3,  1883. 


PEEFATOEY 

TO  "LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON," 


MY  CABIN  HOME  SEPTEMBER  I  5,  1883 

DEAR  MR.  KASSON  ;— 

I  have  carefully  read  your  article  in  ttie  North 
American  Review  of  September,  1883,  entitled,  '*  Mu 
nicipal  Reform". 

It  seems  to  me  that  you  take  a  wrong  view  of  the 
matter.  The  evil  is  that  the  people  do  not  govern- 
but  designing  "  bosses "  hoodwink  and  mislead 
the  masses,  and,  prevent  also,  a"  fair  expres 
sion  of  opinion  by  packing  the  primaries  and  "fixing 
things." 

The  doctrine  of  our  fathers,  as  laid  down  by  Jeffer 
son  in  th*  Declaration  of  Independence,  is  the  onfy 
true  ground  of  political  faith  to  be  occupied  by  one 
who  would  be  in  line  with  progress,  Reaction  toward 
autocracy  will  never  be  maintained.  It  is  my  belief 
that  you  have  departed  from  the  faith  of  the  fathers^ 
and  that  the  sentiments  expressed  in  that  article  of 
yours  will  never  be  engrafted  in  our  laws  without  a 
bloody  struggle.  I  would  die  a  thousand  deaths  be 
fore  1  would  yield  my  assent  to  such  principles. 

While  personally  I  desire  to  see  you  prosper ,  I  will, 
nevertheless,  combat  the  doctrines  of  your  essay 
while  I  live,  and  I  shall  not  scruple  to  speak  with  all 
plainness  and  boldness  concerning  them  and  you. 

I  understand  full  well  that  we  have,  in  our  country, 
a  class  of  men  anxious  to  subvert  Democracy,  and  to 
establish,  on  the   ruins  of  the   Republic,  an  Empire. 
With  your  broad  culture  and  deep  insight   into  th  e 


LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON.  207 

**  hidden  purposes"  of  the  rich  and  powerful,  and 
your  knowledge  H.ISO  of  the  ways  and  wants  of  the 
poor  toilers  of  America— belonging  as  you  do  by  birth 
to  the  ranks  of  the  "  producing  class,"  I  weep  that 
you  have  cho  .en  to  be  an  attorney  for  tbe  "rich  man" 
in  the  new  struggle  for  the  rights  of  labor  that  is 
mow  beginnirg.  You  have  done  weir  in  your  youth, 
espousing  the  cause  of  the  chattel  slave — but  now 
«oaaes  the  struggle  to  set  free  the  "wage  slave" — 1» 
litt  up  the  toiler  out  of  the  mire  of  degradation  into 
which  he  is  sinking  deeper  and  deeper  by  the  fetters 
of  Monopoly  being  fastened  upon  his  wrists"  and  ank 
les,  so  that  he  cannot  raise  hand  or  foot  to  extricate 
himself.  I  presume  that  young  men  will  have  to 
come  to  the  front  aud  lift  up  the  banner  of  reform. 
We  old  Abolition  workers,  it  seems,  are  worn  out  and 
our  vigor  exhausted. 

Very  Respectfully  Yours, 

LEONARD  BROWN. 

I  do  not  believe  with  Mr.  Kasson  that  the 
"  ruinous  principle  to  be  expelled  from  the  busi 
ness  management  of  our  cities  full  of  floating 
voters  is  the  rule  which  gives  to  a  mere  majority 
of  irresponsible  numbers  the  right  of  control, 
over  the  municipality  ;"  I  do  not  believe  that  the 
majority  that  so  controls  is  a  "  corrupt  mob ;"  I 
do  not  believe  that  "  the  people  who  do  not  pay 
are  always  ready  to  create  debt  against  the  peo 
ple  who  must  pay;"  I  do  not  believe  it  to  be  "a 
sound  principle,  which  would  justify  a  limitation 
of  municipal  suffrage  to  property  owners  and  to 
the  payers  of  taxes ;"  that  is  to  say,  I  do  not  be 
lieve  that  as  soon  as  the  few  have  succeeded  in 
robbing  the  many  of  all  property  the.  many 


208          LINES  TO  MR.  K AS  SON, 

should  cease  to  have  a  voice  in  the  government 
of  cities — that  because  a  majority  of  the  voters 
of  the  city  of  Boston,  for  instance,  are  non-tax 
payers,  therefore  a  majority  of  the  voters  of 
Boston  ought  to  be  disfranchised;  and  I  do  not 
believe  that  "the  control  of  the  mere  majority  of 
irresponsible  numbers"  is  the  ''breeding  nest  o^ 
municipal  peculation,  corruption,  waste  and  ex 
travagance — the  dark  cavern  of  vicious  politics, 
the  lying-in  asylum  of  illegitimate  politicians, 
tlie  nursery  of  corrupt  practices." 

The  following  "Associated  Press  Dispatch' 
that  I  chance  at  this  moment  to  see  in  a  morning 
paper,  explains  the  cause  of  corruption  of  city 
governments  and  shows  also  the  remedy: 

NASHVILLE,  OCT.  12, 1883. 

"The  annual  municipal  elf  3tion  to-day,  resulted  in 
an  overwhelming  victory  for  the  citizen's  reform  tick 
et  over  the  candidates  for  re-election  of  the  old  muni 
cipal  regime.  The  reform  ticket  is  composed  of  blacks 
and  whites  for  the  first  time  in  the  history  of  the 
city.  Tax-payers  are  jubilant  over  the  defeat  of 
"boss"  rule  of  the  corrupt  ward  system." 

"  Boss"  rule  is  what  robs  the  city  treasuries; 
not  the  rule  of  the  poor  laborers,  mechanics  and 
school-masters — poor  whites  or  poor  blacks 
who  live  by  daily  toil,  not  the  rule  of  the  people 
who  do  not  pay  taxes;  for  these  are  cheated  out 
of  a  voice  under  "boss"  rule  of  the  "corrupt 
ward  system."  Vile  "rings"  of  corrupt  politi 
cians  "fixing"  primaries  govern  these  "boss "- 


LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON.          209 

robbed  cities.     This  is  clearly  shown    in  George 
Walton    Greene's     "  Facts   About  Caucus    and 
Primary"  in  the  same  number  of  the  North  Amer 
ican  Review,  in  which  Mr.  Kasson's    "  Municipa 
Reform"  article  appears.     But  the  specific  reme 
dy  is  finally  applied  at    Nashville.     An  appeal  is 
taken  to  the  poor  "colored,  men"  for   help,  and 
for  the  first  time,  in  the  history  of  that   city,  are 
these  poor  people  treated  with  justice  and  mag 
nanimity,  and  their  manhood  recognized.     "The 
ta'x-payers  are  jubilant  over   the  result"    of  uni 
versal    manhood    suffrage  and   fair   play  for  the 
poor  despised  colored  men. 

Manifestly,  the  only  true  remedy  for  the  evils 
that  afflict  all  governments — City,  State  and  Na 
tional,  is  to  extend  the  elective  franchise  to  all 
adult  citizens,  male  and  female,  native-born  and 
naturalized,  white  and  black,  rich  and  poor,  and 
thus  make  the  public  interests  the  business  of 
all  men  and  all  women,  and  the  chief  study  of 
the  people  in  the  home  circle,  support  an  in 
dependent  press  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the 
many  and  not  bound  with  adamantine  chains  to 
the  chariot  wheels  of  monopoly  and  jobbery  and 
corrupt  "rings."  There  is  no  "corrupt  mob"  to 
out-vote  the  masses,  male  and  female.  Let 
these  be  not  deceived  and  hood-winked  and  mis 
led  by  designing  demagogues,  and  the  administra 
tion  of  the  affairs  of  City,  State  and  Nation  will 
be  pure  and  satisfactory. 

14 


2io          LINES  TO  MR.  K AS  SON., 

Mr.  Kasson  admits  that  in  the  most  remarka 
ble  case  in  our  annals  this  pillage  of  public  funds 
was  only  revealed  by  an  " independent  press  and 
punished  by  the  slow  but  firm  uprising  of  an  in 
dignant  community"  This  is  a  wonderfnl  ad 
mission,  pointing  out,  it  appears  to  me,  the  only 
possible  cure  for  the  disorders  Mr.  Kasson  com 
plains  of  afflicting  cities,  and  directing  with 
index  finger  to  correct  "  Municipal  Reform" 

J5£p~"AN  INDEPENDENT  PRESS  " "FIRM  UPRIS 
ING  OF  AN  INDIGNANT  COMMUNITY."  The  "com- 
•munity"need  not  go  so  far  as  to  "usurp  the  duties 
of  the  regular  officers  of  the  law,"  as  it  did  in  the 
case  he  mentions  ;  for  the  "community"  is  the 
only  rightful  appointer  of  "officers  of  the  law." 
Let  the  "community"  control  and  all  is  safe. 
Thieving  politicians  that  usurp  control  through 
"boss"  and  "machine"  management  and  who  are 
not  elected  by  a  fair  expression  of  the  voice  of 
the  "community"  mu^tbeputdown.  Letthe  peo 
ple  govern  and  all  is  well.  But  politicians  elect 
ed  to  office  by  "tax-payers"  alone  would  not  ne 
cessarily  be  more  "honest"  than,  if  elected 
by  the  "irresponsible  majority."  It  does  not 
make  an  official  "honest"  because  elected  to 
place  by  rich  men,  nor  dishonest  because  elected 
by  poor  men,  and  party  knaves  may  deceive  the 
rich  "few"  as  easily  as  they  do  the  poor  "many'' 
—"daily  personal  association  lulling  suspicion" 
as  well  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other.  Is  it  true 


LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON.          211 

what  Victor  Hugo  says  ?  "  Imagine  everybody 
governing!  Can  you  fancy  a  city  directed  by 
the  men  who  built  it  ?  They  are  the  team  not  the 
coachmen.  What  a  god-send  is  a  rich  man  who 
takes  charge  of  everything  !  Surely  he  is  generous 
to  take  this  trouble  for  us !"  Perhaps  there  is 
a  little  spark  of  irony  in  this,  for  Victor  Hugo  is 
a  Democrat.  "It  is,"  he  says '"the  people  who 
are  on-coming.  I  tell  you  it  is  MAN  who  as 
cends.  Ah,  this  society  is  false.  One  day  and 
soon  the  true  society  will  come.  Then  there 
will  be  no  more  lords;  there  will  be  free,  living 
men.  There  will  be  no  more  wealth,  there  will 
be  abundance  for  the  poor.  There  will  be  no 
more  masters,  but  there  will  be  brothers.  They 
that  toil  shall  have.  This  is  the  future.  No 
more  prostration,  no  more  abasement,  no  more 
ignorance,  no  more  Wealth,  no  more  beasts  of 
burden,  no  more  courtiers,  no  more  kings — but 
LIGHT!" 

Would  not  Mr.  Kasson's  logic  end  in  making 
city  governments  and  all  other  governments  auto 
cratic — upheld  by  and  upholding  a  hateful  plu 
tocracy,  as  two  boards  on  end  leaning  together, 
uphold  each  other — and  would  it  not  bring 
back  "divine  right  of  kings  ?"  Would  there  not 
be  a  Dictator  at  Washington,  supported  by  and 
supporting  the  plutocrats  of  New  York  and  Bos 
ton — agents  of  London  "financiers,"  the  Bar 
ings  and  Rothchjlds — this  Dictator  appointing 


212          LINhS  TO  MR.  KASSON. 

•'  commissioners"  to  govern  cities  and  States,  as- 
Washington  City  and  Utah  Territory  are  tyran 
nized  over  to-day, — "  model  governments,"  ac 
cording  to  Mr.  Kasson's  reasoning,  Washington? 
City  being  governed  by  a  board  of  three  "  com 
missioners,"  appointed  by  the  President — ("  Dic 
tator") — and  Utah  Territory  by  a  board  of  five 
"commissioners,"  appointed  by  the  President — 
("Dictator")!  These  issue  "orders.' — or,  in 
other  words,  make  laws  for  City  and  for  Territo 
ry.  This  "  commission  "  system  is  a  damnable 
tyranny,  and  history  will  so  define  it.  And  this 
sort  of  government  is  preparing  for  all  American* 
States  and  Cities,  and  Mr.  Kasson's  paper  enti 
tled  "  Municipal  Reform"  is,  it  seems  to  me,  a. 
finger-board  pointing  the  way  to  its  speedy  in 
auguration,  "Bosses"  (corrupt  politicians,  who- 
have  been  fed  at  the  public  crib  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century,  and  petted  by  the  people  until  they 
have  come  to  despise  their  masters,  are  evidently 
plotting  and  planning  the  overthrow  of  demo 
cratic  freedom  on  this  continent  It  is  time  the 
patriots  (toilers)  of  our  country  awaken  from 
their  slumber  of  false  security,  and  like  Milton's 
"strong  man  armed,"  "shake  their  invincible 
locks." 

Mr.  Kasson  certainly  fails  to  make  clear  a  dis 
tinction  between  City  and  State  governments. 
The  State  does  not  "  give  "  the  people  of  a  City 
the  right  of  self-government.  "  All  power  is  in- 


LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON.          213 

lierent  in  the  people."  The  City  is  a  State,  and 
the  earliest  to  adopt  democratic  governments, 
Athens  and  Rome,  for  instance.  The  functions 
of  the  City  legislature  are  as  important  to  the 
the  welfare  of  the  people  of  a  city,  rich  and  poor, 
as  are  the  functions  of  the  State  legislature  import 
ant  to  the  welfare  of  the  people  of  a  State,  rich  and 
poor.  The  State,  I  repeat,  does  not  "  give  "  the 
City  the  right  of  self-government  any  more  than 
the  Federal  Government  "gives"  each  State, ad 
mitted  into  the  Union,  the  right  of  self-govern 
ment.  This  right  is  God-given — a  "Divine 
Tight."  Democratic  government  is  peculiarly 
well  fitted  to  the  wants  of  cities,  and  ever  pre 
eminently  satisfactory — calling  out  and  develop 
ing  the  highest  order  of  manhood.  Democra 
cies  alone  produce  great  men.  Let  our  cities 
become  more  and  more  democratic;  for  the  "ir 
responsible  majority  of  numbers,"  that  Mr.  Kas- 
son  sneers  at,  will  always  do  the  right  when  they 
know  the  right,  When  they  do  wrong  it  is  whea 
they  are  misled.  The  poor  non-tax-paying  vo 
ters  are  not  robbers.  Poor  men  are  ever  the 
most  ready  to  give  their  lives  an  offering  to  save 
their  country's  flag  and  liberty. 


LINES   TO  MR.   KASSON. 


I. 

O  poor  man's  son !  the   rocks  and   stones    and 

mountains  of  Vermont 
Afforded   hard  and   scanty   fare — yea,  you    have 

suffered  want! 
Fatherless  boy !  kind   Fortune  smiled ;  we   poor 

men  of  the  West 
Have  been  to  you  a  tender  nurse — have   petted1 

and  caressed 
Until  we  spoiled  you — made  you  vain ;  and  so  it 

came  to  pass 
That  you  "  waxed  fat    and  kicked,"    dear  John, 

and  "spake"  like  Baalam's  ass. 
You  would  have  me,   because    I'm    poor,    "  dis 
franchised":  Pay  big  rent — 
Have  bonds  and  gold  or  (like  a  dog)  no  voice  in 

government; 
Like  Austria's  cities  let  ours  groan  ;  disfranchise 

all  poor  men — 
All  toilers ;  none    must   have  a  vote   except  the 

"upper  ten'' 
Is  this  the  Tory  gospel,  John,  that  you've    come 

home  to  preach  ? 


LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON.          215 

What  have  the  millionaires,  O,  John,   held   out 

within  your  reach? 

Is  this  a  bid  for  '84?     Do  you  expect  to  bring 
Yourself  to  be  our  John  the  First — our  Emper 
or  or  King? 
Is  this  the  meaning  of  your  speech  ?     A  bid  for 

something  grand — 
A  bid  for  Wall  Street   now  to   make  you   tyrant 

of  this  land  ? — 
There  is  a  plot  (I  know  it,  John,)    deep-laid  and 

black  and   fell, 
To  break  up  Democratic  rule — a  plot  hatched  out 

in  hell ; 
But  it  will  fail,  and   you,  dear   John,  and   ever/ 

schemer  base, 

Will  meet  your  just  reward   and  doom:  discom 
fiture,  disgrace. 
Though  peace  is  sweet  and  life  is  dear  (I  tell  you/ 

truth,  dear  John,) 
Millions   will    die  on   battle-fields  that  Freedom 

may  live  on, 
Ere  we,  the  poorest,  lose  our  vote.     'Tis  all  we 

have  to  give 
Us  hold  upon  a  breath  of  air — the  privilege  to 

live. 
Our  "one  ewe  lamb"  is  dear  to  us  (the  labor  of 

our  hands), 
Dear  as  the   fruits    of  other's  toil,  to    Lombard 

Street  brigands. 


216          LINKS  TO  MR.  KASSON. 
II. 

The  strong  right  arm  of  Labor  wields  the   saber 

in  the  fight ; 
The  strong  right  arm    of  Labor  will   defend  the 

toiler's  right : 
The  strong  right  arm  of  Labor  (let  the  rich  man 

bear  in  mind) 
Is  the  only  ark    of  safety — more   than  " riches" 

to  mankind ; 

It  is  Labor  th  it  builds    cities ;  Labor    that   pro 
tects  the  home; 
But  the  enemy  of  Labor  stabbed  the  Gracchi   of 

old  Rome  ! 
That  enemy — the  "rich  man" — is  determined  to 

o,erthrow 
To-day  the  friends  of  Labor  as  he  stabbed  them 

long  ago ! 
But   the    day-star  has    arisen,  and   the  night  of 

gloom  is  past, 
And  now  we   cry   "Eureka,"  for   the   morning 

dawns  at  last ! 
" I  have  found  it!  I  have  found  it!"  Labor   now 

exulting  cries ; 
"I  behold  the  promised  morning;  I  behold  the 

sun  arise ! 
We  are  many !  we  are   mighty !  and  the  feeble 

1  Man  of  Sin' 
.He  is    fallen !  He  is   fallen  !  and  Christ's    reign 

is  ushered  in, 


LINES  TO  MR.  KASSON.          217 

Who  has  promised  that  the  greatest  shall  be  ser 
vant  of  the  least, 

And  the  poor  he  has  invited  to  be  present  at  the 
feast, 

And  sweet  Peace  shall  wed  with  Plenty  and 
Equality  shall  bless 

The  millions  of  all  nations  with  the  boon  of  hap 
piness." 

October  llth,  1883. 


OLD   MEMOEIES. 


Bead  [at  the  "  Old  Settlers' "  Annual   Picnic  on  the 

State  Fair  Grounds,  near  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 

August  16,  1883. 


Well  neighbors  old,  the  day  has  come 

Dear  friends  again  to  see; 
Long  since  we  left  our  "Hosier"  home., 

Or  "Buckeye"  (as't  may  be)— 

Or  "Wolverine"  or  "Yankee,"  too; 

"  Corn-cracker, "  "  Tuckey-hoe," 
Or  "Sucker" — bade  warm  hearts  adieu 

Oh,  long,  long  years  ago  ! 

The  oppressed  came  flocking  o'er  the  sea 
Whence  our  forefathers  fled — 

From  England,  Ireland,  Germany 
In  myriads  they  sped — 

"  Entered"  this  lovely  prairie  land 

For  better  (not  for  worse) ; 
Now  let  us  grasp  each  friendly  hand 

While  old  "yarns"  we  rehearse. 


OLD  MEMORIES. 

But  neighbors  old,  how  few  remain 

Of  first  associates ; 
Their  forms  our  memories  retain  :— 

My  heart  anticipates 

A  grand  reunion  soon,  too  soon ; 

You  see  we  have  grown  old ; 
We've   passed   life's  morn;    we've   past    its^ 
noon — 

The  bell  has  often  tolled! 

Fewer  and  fewer  meet  each  year 

To  talk  of  days  gone  by — 
Fewer  and  fewer  shall  appear ; 

Our  last  hand-shake  draws  nigh. 

But  why,  w hy  talk  in  this  sad  strain  ? 

Here  is  no  funeral,  friends  ; 
We  are  too  happy  to  complain, 

And  bright  our  day  descends. 

The  evening  has  no  clouds  at  all 

To  early  pioneers  ; 
We're  ready  when  the  Lord  shall  call 

To  join  our  old  compeers. 

Now  bring  the  teeming  baskets  forth: 

To-day,  with  happy  voice, 
Within  this  "Garden  of  the  Earth" 

We  sing  and  we  rejoice, 


OLD  MEMORIES.  220 

Remembering  still  the  good  old  ways — 

Recalling  early  scenes — 
Privations  of  the  trying  days 

Of  hominy  and  greens. 

Oh,  may  the  children  still  pursue 

The  path  their  fathers  trod ; 
Oh,  may  they  ever  live  as  true 

To  Friendship  and  to  God  !  * 


A  SONNET 

TO  WILLIAM  VAN  DORN,  MY  DEAR  DEPARTED  FRIEND- 


To  thee,  not  as  unto  the  dead,  I  speak, 

But  as  unto  the  living.     Art  thou  dead? 

Have  life  and  friendship  ceased  with  thee  ?     In 
stead 

They  are  intensified !     I  do  net  seek 
Thee  distant ;  but  I  feel  thy  presence  near. 

O,  Friend  !  'tis  but  a  day — a  winter  day — 

And  I'll  have  done  my  Earth-task,  passed  awayr 
And  joined  thee  in  that  higher,  happier  sphere ! 
Me  groundlings  do  not  understand.     Thou  did'st 

And  lovedst  me  as  one  worthy  thy  regard. 
Here,  in  this  dreary  atmosphere,  amidst 

The  virulent  and  gross,  my  lot  is  hard — 
Maltreated,  waylaid,  mobbed  by  Envy's  brood — 

Oh,  may  I  bear  my  wrongs  with  fortitude  ! 

November  10,  1883. 


STANZAS 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  HON,  ROBT.  W.  STUBBS, 


"POLK  CITY.  IOWA,  Jan.  23,  1882,— We  always  feel 
better  when  trying  to  do  good  than  at  any  other  time, 
so  let  us  ever  be  found  trying  to  do  all  the  good  we 
can/'— R.  W.  Stubbs.  (Writeen  in  Ms  wife's  Auto 
graph  Album. 

Heartrending  scene  !     Wife,  little  ones 

Left  suddenly  to  mourn, 
HusbaMd  and  father  snatched  away, 

Ah  !  never  to  return. 

At  post  of  glorious  duty,  Stubbs, 

Thy  all  thou  didst  defend; 
Thy  home,  thy  family,  thy  life, 

And  bravely  to  the  end. 

How  beautiful  thy  face  in  death  ! 

Pale,  but  serene  and  kind — 
Reflection  of  thy  blameless  life 

And  of  thy  happy  mind. 

A  wreath  of  new-blown,  forest  flowers 
(Thy  life's  pure  emblem)  graced 

Thy  coffin,  where  by  children's  hands 
They  lovingly  were  placed. 


223  '  ^-   w>  STUBBS. 

For  noble  purpose  thou  didst  live  ! 

Thou'dst  have  it  understood 
Thou  ever  foundst  thy  true  delight 

Jn  "trying  to  do  good." 

Can  earth  produce  a  truer  soul, 

Sublimer,  greater  man 
Than  he  who  lives  true  to  this  line, 

"Do  all  the  good  you  can?" 

So  passed  the  life  of  Robert  Stubbs — 
For  him,  "to  die  was  gain  ;" 

To  country,  friends  and  family 
Js  sadly  left  the  pain. 


A  SONNET 

TO  THE  MEMORY  OF  ROBERT  L. 


Clingan,  how  sudden  was  thy  fall ! — prepared 
And  watchful,  at  thy  post — a  soldier  true, 
You  braved  the  danger  as  the  bravest  do, — 

Drew  forth  thy  weapon  and  the  assassins  dared. 

Thou  perfect  pattern  of  a  citizen — 
Benevolent  devoted  to  the  right, 
Philanthropic,  "to  do  good"  thy  delight — 

One  of  America's  truest,  noblest  men ; 

Thou  wast  cut  off  just  in  the  prime  of  life: — 
Who  may  explain  the  mystery  of  the  deed,. 
And  say  why  Providence  had  thus  decreed 

To  afflict  thy  children  and  devoted  wife 

And  bring  such  mighty  woes  upon  our  town. 

Striking  the  best,  hurling  the  purest  down  1 

July  13, 1980. 


RETROSPECT    AND 
PROSPECT. 

(1877.) 


"I  threw  off,"  says  Robert  Burns,  "six  hundred  cop 
ies  of  the  first  edition  of  my  poems,  of  which  I  had  got 
subscription  for  about  three  hundred  and  fifty  copies. 
Who  thinks  the  less  of  poor  Burns  now,  that  he 
took  this  method  of  publishing  his  poems  ?  and  who 
is  not  glad  that  he  was  not  too  proud  to  solicit  sub 
scriptions  for  his  own  work  ?  The  wise  man  "  putteth 
his  mouth  in  the  dust  if  so  be  there  may  be  hope." 

But  how  vain  and  foolish  to  covet  "  success,"  unless 
one  can  leave  behind  him  the  memory  of  a  life  devo 
ted  to  the  good  of  others,  as  did  the  philanthropist 
Johr.  Howard.  An  anecdote  is  related  of  him,  that 
when  asked  by  an  Austrian  noble,  what  he  thought 
of  Austrian  prisons,  he  replied  :  "  The  worst  in  all 
Germany,  particularly  as  regards  female  prisoners  ; 
And  I  recommend  your  countess  to  visit  them  person 
ally  as  the  best  means  of  rectifying  the  abuses  of  their 
management."  "  I,"  said  the  astonished  countess,  "  go 
into  prisons!"  The  philanthropist  replied  :  "  Mad 
am,  remember  that  you  are  a  woman  yourself  and 
must,  like  the  most  miserable  female  in  a  dungeon, 
inhabit  a  little  piece  of  that  earth  from  which  you 
l>oth  sprang." 

It  was  the  Author's  purpose,  (when  he  gave  the 
"copy"  of  this  book  to  the  printer)  to  have  it  include, 
in  the  following  division,  the  principal  patriotic  pieces 
of  "Poems  of  the  Prairies.  But  its  publication  has 
been  delayed  by  unforseen  accidents  until  the  time  is 
now  come  when  longer  delay  would  be  fatal  to  the 
Author's  plans. 


RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT. 

o 

SONNETS. 

— — o 

INSCRIBED  TO  THE  FRIENDS  OF  CHILDREN. 
I. 

I  now  have  reached  my  fortieth  birth-day ; 

A  braver  battle  few  have  fought  than  I ; 

Fearless  have  ever  lived,  fearless  shall  die, 
Battling  for  truth  and  righteousness  alway ; 
Despising  wealth,  nor  coveting  long  life  ; 

Building  a  monument  of  worthy  deeds  ; 

Hating  all  shams  and  sanctities  of  creeds  ; 
Loving  my  children,  faithful  to  my  wife, — 
And  I've  been  blest  beyond  e'en  richer  men, — 

Fortune  has  smiled  upon  me  graciously  ; 

Domestic  bliss  has  been  vouchsafed  to  me  ; 
A  feast  of  joy  our  humble  board  has  been, 
Our  happy  home,  a  cabin  in  the  grove, 
Seat  of  Contentment,  Gratitude  and  Love. 

II. 

"  Suffer  the  little  ones  to  come  to  me,  " 

The  Master  said,  while  wand'ring  on  the  earth  ; 


228     RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPEC  T. 

'  Forbid  them  not  to  climb  upon  my  knee; 

My  heavenly  kingdom  holds  no  higher  worth.. 

Where  children  do  not  gambol  there  is  dearth 
Of  happiness.     Heaven,  heaven  would  not  be 
If  there  the  little  ones  we  did  not  see, 

The  air  of  heaven  is  res'nant  with  their  mirth." 
If  not  His  words  His  meaning  't  was  the  same. 

Of  earthly  joys  the  greatest  is  by  far 

Where  multitudes  of  little  children  are. 
The  joys  of  Croesus  with  his  wealth  were  tame 
Compared  with  joys  of  home:  the  warrior's  glory, 
The  statesman's  eloquence  a  sickening  story. 


III. 


Mine  are  the  joys  of  home  and  loving  wife, 

And  children,  too,  to  love,  a  happy  throng. 

Would  I  could  celebrate  in  deathless  song 
What  heaven  has  done  to  bless  my  humble  life  I 
Ah,  ye  proud  fools,  still  hoard  your  ducats  vain; 

At  watering  places  strut  like  gaudy  kings  ; 

Ye  butterflies  of  fashion,  spread  your  wings  ; 
I  hold  your  hollow  joys  in  deep  disdain; 
The  fool's  reward  you  surely  shall  obtain, 

Since  Folly's  shrine  gets  all  your  offerings. 
I  find  at  home  far  sweeter,  purer  jo>s; 
My  blooming  wife ;  my  romping  girls  and  boys. 

From  this  fond  circle  ripest  pleasure  springs ; 
For  Love  dwells  here,  and  tfue  love  never  cloys. 


RETRO STECT  AND  PROSPECT.     229 
IV. 

While  babes  are  small  what  pleasure  to  supply 

Their  little  wants,  to  shield  them  in  our  arms. 

When  they  are  happy  how  our  bosom  warms  ! 
They  look  to  us  as  we  to  Him  on  high. 
To  them  the  giver  of  each  gracious  gift, 

We  feel  the  grandeur  of  our  dizzy  height ; 

To  give  them  happiness  our  chief  delight. 
Oh,  if  bereft  of  children,  how  bereft ! 

A  parent  is  the  greatest  of  the  great ; 
Nor  Alexander  in  his  grandest  days 

Ever  arose  to  loftier  estate 
Than  to  the  parent  is  vouchsafed  always. 
Let  us,  then,  rightly  fill  the  honored  station, 
-Give  to  our  children  noblest  aspiration. 

V. 

But  what  if  we  are  poor — our  families  large? 

Large  families  are  preferable  to  small ; 

'Tis  but  a  little  while  we  care  for  all ; 
The  elder  ones  soon  help  us  with  our  charge. 
•Given,  then,  of  children  say  a  half  a  score, 

Tis  easier  to  bring  them  up  by  far, 
Than  if  you  had  a  puny  three  or  four; 

But  industry  must  be  the  guiding  star. 
The  poor  man's  children  earn  their  daily  bread  ; 

Nor  do  they  need  to  work  so  over-hard 
That  they  may  not  with  hunger  g  o  to  bed  ; 


230    RETRO  SPEC  T  AND  PROSPECT. 

Nor  need  you  deem  them    (because  poor)   ill- 
starred. 

Great  riches  are  undoubtedly  a  curse, 
They  enervate  the  body — the  soul  worse. 


VI. 


A  friend  of  mine  once  (driven  to  the  wall) 
From  affluence  arose  to  poverty. 

"  No  greater  blessing  ever  fell  to  me," 
He  said  with  tears:      "  My  children,   large  and 

small, 
Seem  to  correctly  comprehend  it  all, 

And  now  betake  themselves  to  industry ; 

Before  were  thriftless  as  they  well  could  be. 
My  riches,  then,  I  care  not  to  recall ; 
My  sons  will  grow  up  to  be  better  men, 

To  thus  rely  upon  their  own  strong  arms ; 

My   daughters,    too,    'twill   give   them  truer 

charms 

To  work, — they  sing  as  happy  as  the  wren. 
My   mother,    sir,  could   knit,    and   spin,  and 

weave, 
A  better  schooling  than  our  schools  now  give.'^ 

VII. 

Indeed,  our  college  doors  are  all  quite  barred 
Against  the  children  of  the  poor.     VV  is  so 
That,  now,  no  other  than  the  "Tally-ho'' 


RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT.     2 3 1 

May  step  into  thy  classic  halls,  Harvard. 
But,  since  of  Franklin  still  the  name  is  heard, 

Think  it  no  hardship,  poor  boy,  to  forego 

To  learn  at  Yale  or  Harvard  how  to  row. 
The  school  where  Lincoln  studied  is  preferred, 
And  Johnson,  Greeley,  Clay  and  Faraday. 

Give  me  the  school-  room  of  the  world,   with 

God 
To  teach  me,  and  throw  colleges  away, — 

The  road  to  Fame  is  still  an  open  road. 
New  England,  of  thy  "culture"  you  may  boast  ;^ 
But  of  the  mem'ry  of  thy  Franklin  most. 

VIII. 

Rounded  and  ripe  as  Attica  of  old1 
When  against  Philip  the  great  orator 
Thundered  sublimely,  deeply  saddened  for 

The  venality  of  Athens.     Blackest  mould 

And  rottenness  we  everywhere  behold 
Among  the  rich — corrupted  to  the  coreT 

Bright  roses  bloom  with  mildew  covered  o'er; 

And  priests  and  legislators  worship  gold. 

But  ever  glorious  her  yeomanry ; 
Like  Putnam,  loyal,  patriotic,  true; 

Only  in  ranks  of  toiling  poverty 

"  New  England  of  the  Fathers  "  yet  we  view, 

Her  churches  trample  down  Equality ; 

Her  colleges  hug  Aristocracy. 


-232     RETROSPh CT  AND  PROSPECT. 

\ 

IX. 

I  heard  a  father  boasting  of  his  son, 

How  he  had  risen  to  some  honored  place. 
What  joy  was  beaming  in  that  father's  face 

When  speaking  of  the  bays  his  boy  had  won ! 

Oh,  let  him  boast ;  yes,  let  the  old  man  boast; 
I  'd  rather  be  that  father  than  to  hold 
The  highest  rank  on  earth,  and  all  the  gold 

Pizarro  gathered  and  the  Incas  lost ! 

Let  us  embrace  our  children  and  be  proud 
Of  the  inheritance  we  have  received. 
Children  are  wealth,  Oh,  may  it  be  believed, 

Beyond  that  horded  by  the  venal  crowd. 

Shame  and  disgrace  to  him — accursed  his    life — 

That  makes  a  barren  mistress  of  his  wife  ! 

X. 

The  married  "  lady,"  (say,  is  God  still  just!) 
Of  highest  "culture"  that  the  schools  impart, 
Rebels  against  her  nature  and  her  heart ! 

What  causes  this  decay,  this  cankering  rust  ? 

If  it  be  "  culture  "  trample  it  in  the  dust ! 
Go  back  to  Nature;  banish  modern  Art  ; 
To  books  and  schools  and  teachers  cry"Depart!" 

Yea,  spit  upon  all  learning  with  disgust. 

Search  out  the  hidden  cancer ;  show  its  cause ; 
Offshoot  of  wealth  or  pampered  luxury 

Or  of  bad  education  or  bad  laws  ? 


RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT.     233 

Destroy  at  once  the  deadly  Upas  tree ! 
How  sad  the  home  where  children  do  not  play, 
''T  is  their  sweet  prattle  drives  life's  gloom  away. 

XL 

"•What  mighty  int'rests  are  parents  given  ! 
We  act  not  for  ourselves  alone — but  we 
Act  for  the  good  of  our  posterity — 

'Sublimest  work,  indeed,  this  side  of  Heaven ! 

\We  feel  it  is  our  duty  now  to  leaven 

The  world  with  temp'rance,  truth  and  liberty, 
And  have  mankind  embrace  Christianity; 

.For  children  all,  to  make  the  chances  even. 

.Let  all  men  be  compelled  to  give  and  do 

As  if  they  loved  their  fellows  as  themselves, 

Preventing  thus  the  sefish,  venal  few 

From   heaping   all  God's    bounties     on   their 
shelves. 

Arise  our  fervent  prayer  both  night  and  morn : 

""God,  make  it  good  for  children  to  be  born  !" 

XII.. 

But  charity  for  them  do  not  beseech  ; 

Loudly  demand  that  children  have  their  rights; 

The  world  belongs  to  them — all  its  delights; 
Then  hold  not  what  is  theirs  out  of  their  reach  1 
All  children  have  the  same  God-given  claim 

Upon  the  world,  since  all  are  equal"  born, 


234     R ETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT. 

And  naked  all  depart;  then  why  not  scorn 
To  rob  the  babes  ?  Riches  are  but  a  name. 
More  swinish  than  the  swine,  men  sieze  and 

hold 

Great  heaps  of  rubbish  that  they  cannot  use, 
To  starving  infants  nourishment  refuse; 
They  die  still  holding  fast  their  bags  of  gold  ! 
Cruel  and  heathenish,  they  go  to  swell 
The  throng  with  Dives  in  the  miser's  Hell ! 

XIII. 

How  many  orphan  children  crowd  the  streets, 
That  have  no    friends,  no  home,    no    love,  no 

care, 
And  gain  no  pity  of  the  millionaire! 

He  sleeps  on  down,  and  choicest  viands  eats. 

Wrung  from  the  hands  of  Labor,  all  his  pelf, 
Through  the  sore  cancer  of  monopolies, 
Now  threatening  all  our  cherished  liberties, 

Eating  the  life  out  of  the  Commonwealth! 

Let  us  dam  up  these  channels — stop  the  leaks  ; 
Build  for  the  orphans  homes  of  happiness — 
Lifting  the  helpless  out  of  their  distress 

With  money  saved  from  grasp  of  pampered  sneaks 

That  drive  gay,  prancing  steeds  as  white  as  snowr 

And  cry  in  drunken  chorus,  "Tally-ho !" 

XIV. 

It  must  be  done !     The  time  is  near  at  hand 
When  there  will  dawn  a  brighter,  better  day  \ 


RETR  OSPECT  AND  PROSPECT.     235. 

It  will  be  said,  "  Old  things  have  passed  away/' 
And  Peace  and  Love  triumph  in  every  land  ; 
The  "better  way"  the  loving  Master  planned; 

His  coming  little  longer  will    delay ; 

Soon  all  the  world  His  mandate  shall  obey, 
And  potentates  will  bow  at  His  command. 
Kings  and  aristocrats  will  cease  to  be ; 

Christ  and  the  "common  people"  shall  prevail — 
The  nations  all  a  grand  Fraternity — 

The  proud  "  Republic  ot  the  World"  we  hail — 
The  glorious  triumph  of  Democracy, 

When  Wrong  shall  nevermore  the  right  assail  \. 

XV. 

"The  people's  voice  is  voice  of  God"   'tis  said — 
They  do  the  right  when  e'er  they  know  the 

right- 
When  they  do  wrong,  it  is  when  they're  misled — 
And  when   they  rule,  they  rule  as  in   God's, 

sight. 
Dethrone  the  Kings  and  Mankind   cease  to 

fight; 

A  brother's  blood  the  people  will  not  shed, 
For  they  will  all  regard  the  Master  then 

As  erst  they  harkened  to  the  words  He  spoke 
When  He  denounced  the  rich  that  bind  the 

yoke, 

Grievous  to  bear,  upon  their  fellow  men. 
They  "  feared  the  people  " — priest  and  scribe — 
forwhen 


236     RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT. 

The  Evil  One  directs  envenomed  stroke 
Against  the  right,  he  never  dares  invoke 
The  multitude  to  aid  him  in  his  sin. 

XVI. 

It  is  the  few  that  lead  the  world  to  evil. 

Preach  to  the  people  "  honesty  "  'twill  do — 
'Twill  never  do  to  preach  it  to  the  few ; 

You  would  as  well  go  preach  it  to  the  Devil. 

The  "  rings  "  pool  millions  of  corruption  money — 
But  did  the  people  ever  give  a  cent 
To  bribe  our  Congress  or  our  President? 

You  cannot  say  they  ever  gave  one  penny  ! 

In  dens  and  caverns  of  the  dark  earth,  meet 
The  agents  of  the  gold  monopoly, — 
Concert  their  schemes  of  fraud  and  robbery ; 

But  they  preach  ''honesty"  upon  the  street ! 

The  giant  "  rings  "  must  first  be  overthrown 

Before  the  car  of  Progress  can  move  on. 

XVII. 

.But  now  they  read  the  writing  on  the  wall  ; 

Their  doom's  determined  and  the  time  is  near 

When  ends  forever  their  corrupt  career, 
-And,  like  Balshazzar's,  great  will  be  their  fall ; 
.E'en  now  there's  tumult  in  the  palace  hall ; 

The  clanging  spears  and  clashing  shields  they 
hear — 

And  in  the  lofty  citadel  appear 


RETROSPECT  AND  PSOSPF.CT.      237 

Avenging  swords  that  God  will  not  recall 
Before  the  poor  His  hand  shall  disenthrall, 
And  little  children    shall  have  pitying  ear  ; 
For  God  is  God,  His  veangence,  Oh,  severe 
'Gainst  those  who  make  the  helpless  ones  drink: 

gall! 
Their  cries   have    reached  Him  and    His  strong; 

right  arm 
Descends  the  whirlwind  and  avenging  storm. 

XVIII. 

Woe  to  the  tyrants  that  despoil  our  land  ! 

They    cry    "  gold  !    gold  ! "   raising  great  din? 

and  clangor — 
An  Earthquake  shakes  the  world  with  gentler 

hand 

Than  the  mad  Tempest  of  a  people's  anger. 
The  Storm -advances  in -grim  garments    dressed  1 
The   clouds,    deep   threatening,   roll    in    wild" 

commotion ; 
Black  Retribution,  frowning  in  the  West, 

Hurtles  loud  curses   like  the  wrathful  Ocean. 
The  storm-winds  gather  hoarseness  overhead  ; 
Louder  and  louder  roars  the  bass-voiced  thun 
der. 

The  sky  (its  tongues  of  vengeance  blazing  red) 
Uncaves  the  ugly  cyclone.     Torn  in  sunder 
Behold  huge  rocks  and    mountains!      In  their 
dread 


238     RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT. 

The  Shylocks  call  for  mountains  to  hide  under. 
XIX. 

Away  with   caste !      The   humblest   man   when 
free, 

Holds  prouder  rank  in  life  than  lord  or  king  ; 

In  all  that  marks  the  man  (so  poets  sing) 
The  poor  surpass  the  rich.   How  fervently 
The  laborer  loves  the  children  on  his  knee  ! 

His  honest  heart — an  overflowing  spring! 

He  'd  freely  give  his  life  an  offering 
To  save  his  country's  flag  and  liberty. 
He  read  of  Marion  when  he  was  a  boy  ; 

He  heard  how  heroes  fought  at  Bunker  Hill ; 
His  home,  his  wife,  his  children  are  his  joy  ; 

Hope  swells  his  heart.     Perhaps  his    offspring 

will 
Win  wreaths  of  fame.      He    says,    "I    toil    for 

bread ; 
My  sons  may  strike  for  honor  when  I'm  dead." 

XX. 
FATHER. 

His  mind  was  fashioned  in  the  woods  of  Maine, 
And  of  Ohio  where  Scioto  flowed 
By  the  Wyandots'  wigwams — there  abode 

His  teachers  and  playfellows.     Him  no  chain 
•  Could  fetter  ;  and  a  stoical  disdain 


RETROSPECT  AND  PROSPECT.     239 

Was  his  of  men's  opinions.     And  he  owed 

All  that  he  was  to  Nature  and  to  God, 
And  to  his  blood  that  flowed  of  Scottish  vein. 
He  read  much — thought  much.      On  him   God 
bestowed 

No  ordinary  gift  of  heart  and  brain. 

Void  of  ambition — willing  to  remain 
Down  in  the  valley,  and  the  muddy  road — 
Beloved  by  those  who  knew  him — satisfied 
That  he  was  right  (his  heart  ^vas  right)  lived — 
died. 

XXI. 
MOTHER 

O  Mother  could  I  but  uprear  to  thee 

A  monument   immortal  as  thy  love  ! 
Thou  dwellest,  mother,  in  the  courts  above. 

From  ills  of  life,  from  sorrow  ever  free. 

Thou  hadst  not,  mother,  aught  of  vanity ; 

But  thou,  a  Christian  woman,  ever  strove 
In  holy  walks  and  in  the  heavenly  grove 

To  lead  thy  children  ever  lovingly ; 

Nor  books  perused,  except  the  Book  of  God. 

To  thee,  in  childhood,  learning  was  denied ; 

But  ever  in  the  path  of  duty  trod 

With  holy  zeal,  and  Jesus  was  thy  guide ; 

Religion  was  a  crown  about  thy  brow ; 

Mother,  thou  art  my  guardian  angel  now. 


TO  CABPIKG  CRITICS. 

A    80XNET. 

I  am  unawed  by  all  that  fools  may  say  ; 

Clearly  in  Faith's  stereoscope  I  see 

My  own  America,  the  great  and  free, 
In  her  munificence  proudly  repay 
With  wreath  offame,  the  Bard  whose  patriot  lay 

Enshrines  thy  sacred  name,  sweet  Liberty. 

It  matters  not  how  wise  the  carpers  be ; 
It  matters  not  how  lion-like  they  bray, 
With  hope  undaunted,  still  unmoved  I  stand — 

Thou  art,  my  country,  worthy  of  my  love  ; 
I  look  with  pride  upon  my  native  land, 

And  bow  my  knee  to  none  but  God  above. 
My  harp  is  rough — a  chip  from  Plymouth  Rock  ; 
Ifrstrings— the  fiber  of  the  "  Charter  Oik." 

May,  1865. 


,0.    fc^TCfrlp.Lg^yj'   ,0, 


APPENDIX. 


The  following  Occassional  Lectures  of  the  author's 
illustrate  and  emphasize  .the  arguments  already  pre 
sented  in  his  verses.  They,  therefore  form  an  appro 
priate  appendix  to  this  volune,  which  aims  to  lay  bare 
the  wicked  purposes  of  the  secret  enemies  of  American 
freedom  and  independence,  to  expose  the  treachery  of 
false  leaders  and  to  point  the  way  to  the  goal  of  prac 
tical  equality. 

It  is  to  the  patriotic  reader  the  truths  recorded  in 
this  work  are  confided.  The  venal  soul  that  allows 
private  interests  to  hold  the  mastery  over  his  mind 
and  heart,  will  not  heed  the  appeals— however  fervent 
— of  disinterested  patriotism. 


BOSTON,  Sept.  12,  1881. 
LEONARD  BROWN  : 

DEAR  SIR,  I  have  received  and  read  your  es 
say  on  the  "  Vital  Issue"  with  great  interest.  Its  ar 
guments  are  closely  woven  and  very  satisfactory,  your 
facts  marshalled  in  logical  order  and  they  march  now 
on  your  reader  with  overwhelming  power. 

I  rejoice  to  see  these  young  minds  in  the  ranks  of  a 
cause  so  momentous  in  its  importance  as  that  of  the 
Nation's  taking  its  currency  into  its  own  control. 
Yours  Respectfully,       WENDELL  PHILLIPS. 


OCCASIONAL  LECTURES. 


Respectfully  inscribed  to  the  venerable  Patriot,  Phi 
lanthropist  and  Reformer,  WENDELL  PHIL 
LIPS,  of  Boston,  Mass. 


THE  VITAL  ISSUE : 

BRITISH    GOLD      VERSUS     AMERICAN      LABOR,      OR 
FRAUDS   OF   FINANCE. 


A    LECTURE 

Delivered  in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  March  28,  1881. 

Hoodwinking  the  masses  is  the  last  desperate  resort 
of  the  "  rich  man"  to  hold  labor  in  subjection  in  the 
United  States,  and  pocket  the  fruits  of  toil  through 
the  manipulation  of  cash  instead  of  lash,  Cash  is  now 
king.  How  long,  O  Lord !  how  long  before  this  king 
shall  also  be  dethroned  as  was  king  Lash?  May  this 
cruel  tyrant  be  put  down  by  the  potent  ballot  and  may 
the  bloody  bullet  be  not  again  invoked  in  settling  the 
strife  between  the  many  and  the  few,  the  toilers  and 
the  drones,  the  people  and  their  plunderers ! 

I. — THE  RESUMPTION    FRAUD. 

A  bill  was  passed  by  our  Congress  in  '69  to  "  strength 
en  the  public  credit"  just  at  a  time  when  our  country 
stood  in  no  more  inimediate  need  of  credit  than  a  well 
man  does  of  medicine;  but  was  (it  is  claimed)  "rapidly 
paying  off  her  bonded  indebtedness."  Why  was  not  this 
"  credit-strengthening  act"  passed  during  the  war  when 
our  country  was  getting  into  debt  and  needed  to  have 
her  credit  strengthened  ?  The  fact  is,  the  title  of  the  bill 
is  a  fraud  and  a  lie.  The  public  credit  has  not  been 
strengthened  ;  but  the  burden  of  debt  has  been  more 
than  quadrupled  on  the  shoulders  of  the  American  peo- 


4  APPENDIX. 

Ele.  The  title  of  the  bill  should  rather  have  been :  "A 
ill  to  increase  the  burden  of  debt  and  to  transler  the- 
wealth  from  the  hands  of  producing  and  laboring 
classes  of  the  United  States  into  the  hands  of  the  mon 
ey-lenders — the  liothchilds  of  Europe  and  their  agents 
in  Wall  street. 

(1)  The  people  are  the  public;  the  credit  of  the  peo 
ple  is  the  public  credit.  Healthful  national  credit 
must  stand  on  the  same  footing  as  that  of  the  individ 
uals  of  the  nation.  The  credit  of  the  people  has  been 
greatly  weakened  by  a  policy  of  government  that  has 
diminished  the  value  of  the  products  of  labor  and  pro 
ductive  property  upon  which  credit  (national  and  in 
dividual)  can  alone  be  rightly  founded.  Any  other 
foundation  of  credit  is  only  enslavement  of  labor.  The 
foundation  being  removed  the  superstructure,  of 
course,  falls  to  the  ground,  i  he  foundation  of  the 
credit  of  the  people  is  labor,  the  products  of  labor  and 
real  estate.  Destroy  their  value  and  credit  based  up 
on  their  value  is  clearly  overthrown.  From  1862  to 
1869  a  farmer  could  borrow  more  money  upon  his  pros 
pective  crop  without  giving  a  note  of  hand  than  he 
can  borrow  even  now  (it  is  not  much  amiss  to  say)  up 
on  this  and  all  his  personal  property  and  real  estate 
with  notes  and  mortgage  on  top;  for  all  productive 
property  and  labor  and  products  of  labor  have  had  the 
bulk  of  the  value  squeezed  out  of  them  and  this  value 
has  been  squeezed  into  money  (as  Solon  Chase  expresses 
it)  until  the  late  secretary  of  the  treasury,  the  Hon. 
John  Sherman,  proclaimed  that  the"  purchasing  pow 
er  of  the  dollar  has  been  increased  by  resumption  sixty 
per  cent." — which  means  that  all  productive  property 
and  labor  and  products  of  labor  are  sixty  per  cent, 
cheaper  to-day,  compared  with  money,  than  they  were 
before  resumption  began  in  1869,  and  therefore,  the 
burden  of  the  public  debt  is  sixty  per  cent,  greater. 
The  immediate  effect  was  to  render  labor  and  produc 
tion  unprofitable,  as  Mr.  Sherman  himself  forewarned 
the  people  that  it  would  do.  Factories  and  farms  not 
paying  running  expenses,  the  factories  closed  doors, 
the  wheels  of  manufacturing  stopped  and  the  "oper 
atives"  were  set  adrift  to  wander  as  tramps,  the  na 
tion  losing  during  the  period  billions  of  dollars  by  the 
falling  off  of  production;  but  farming  had  to  go  on 
with  immense  loss  to  the  farmers  as  a  class— mort 
gages  on  the  farms  the  inevitable  result,  so  that 
now,  even  in  Iowa,  the  richest  garden  of  the  green 


APPENDIX. 


and  bountiful  eartb,  instead  of  there  being  as  presi 
dent  Garfield  says,  "  A  prosperity  without  a  parallel 
in  our  history,"  behold  and  consider  the  farms  under 
mortgage,  positively  asserted  by  well  informed  per 
sons,  after  careful  inquiry  and  examination  of  records 
to  be  at  the  least  calculation,  one-half!  This  was  not 
so  ten  years  ago.  The  farmers  were  then  out  of  debt, 
or,  at  least  (to  speak  in  homely  phrase)  the  hole  to  get 
out  of  debt  at  was  larger  than  the  hole  to  get  in  debt 
at,  but  resumption  opened  wider  the  hole  to  get  in 
•debt  at  and  plugged  up  the  hole  to  get  out  of  debt  at. 
The  wonderful  prosperity  "  without  a  parallel  in  our 
history,"  (labor  pretty  generally  employed,  though 
strikes  an  every-day  occurrence,  tramps  seen  no  more 
on  our  highways,  a  slight  advance  in  the  prices  of  farm 
products;  but  nothing  like  so  high  as  in  1865,  far  be 
low  the  point  of  deliverance  for  the  debt-burdened  far 
mer)  has  been  brought  about  by  only  a  moderate  in 
flation  of  the  currency,  the  result  of  an  influx  of  gold 
from  famine-stricken  Europe  and  an  increase  of  bank 
circulation,  a  wave  that  may  at  any  moment  subside 
and  leave  the  ship  of  our  present  sham  prosperity 
stranded  high  and  dry  upon  the  rocks.  The  usurers 
control  in  a  great  measure  even  now,  in  this  country, 
the  supply  of  currency,  the  national  banks  having 
nearly  350  million  dollars  of  their  paper  afloat.  When 
they  find  it  necessary  or  expedient  in  order  to  advance 
their  sordid  and  selfish  schemes  and  robber  designs, 
these  banks  withdraw  their  circulation.  This  they  be 
gan  to  do  the  other  day  when  interest  on  money  im 
mediately  rose  in  New  York  City  five  hundred  per 
cent,  a  panic,  as  on  Black  Friday,  was  imminent,  caused 
by  the  sudden  retirement  of  less  than  twenty  million 
dollars  national  bank  currency.  Mr.  Sherman,  secre 
tary  of  the  treasury,  at  once  hastened  to  the  rescue  of 
his  imperiled  "  resumption,"  purchasing  on  the  mar 
ket,  with  greenbacks,  twenty-five  million  dollars  gov 
ernment  bonds;  thus  a  great  financial  crash,  like  that 
of  1873  was  prevented.  The  people  are  between  the 
jaws  of  a  huge  crocodile.  There  is  nothing  to  hinder 
its  crushing  and  grinding  their  bones  to  pieces  between 
its  teeth  at  any  moment.  This  reptile  is  national  bank 
ing  and  specie'  resumption. 

It  was  evidently  known  to  the  money  lenders  of  both 
hemispheres  that  resumption  would  force  the  people 
of  the  United  States  into  excessive  indebtedness,  as  it 
did  the  people  of  England  after  the  long  war,  when  the 


APPENDIX. 


number  of  land  owners  on  the  island  of  Britain  was 
reduced  from  300  thousand  to  UO  ;  I  lousand,  and  millions 
of  her  people  were  made  bankrupt  and  forced  into  ex 
ile  to  find  new  homes  in  the  American  wildernsss,  as 
all  readers  of  history  well  know.  Hence  the  trust  and 
loan  agencies  representing  largely  British  capital,  be 
came  as  numerous  in  our  country,  and  especially  in  the 
rich  West  as  green  flies  on  a  dead  carcass  in  June  or 
July.  Even  in  advance  of  the  general  demand  for  mon 
ey  here  did  the  trust  and  loan  agencies  swarm  upon 
this  doomed  land.  If  the  unfortunate  farmer  had  not 
money  in  bank  when  the  resumption  robbery  began,  he 
was  driven  into  debt  to  keep  up  necessary  farm  ex 
penses  (taxes,  fencing,  machinery,  etc )  It  is  conced 
ed  that  the  mortgage  on  the  farm  may  be  traced,  now 
and  then  to  bad  management  on  the  part  of  the  indi 
vidual  farmer;  but  this  cannot  be  put  down  as  the  rule, 
that  bad  management  on  the  part  of  the  farmers  puts 
the  farming  class  in  debt;  for  the  farmers  are  men  of 
at  least,  average  good  sense.  Honest  in  their  inten 
tions  they  are  slow  to  believe  in  the  dishonesty  of  others, 
otherwise  they  could  not  have  been  so  hoodwinked  by 
the  money  monopolists  who  now  control  legislation  at 
Washington,  as  to  be  led  to  acquiesce  in  a  policy  of 
government  so  oppressive  to  the  farming  and  produc 
ing  interests. 

The  Old  Testament  history  shows  that,  at  one  time, 
the  Jewish  people  "mortgaged  their  lands,  vineyards 
and  houses  that  they  might  buy  corn  because  of  the 
dearth."  The  reason  why  the  people  of  our  country 
mortgaged  their  lands,  vineyards  and  houses,  was  the 
dearth  of  money  produced  intentionally  and  with  "  mal 
ice  aforethought"  by  legislators,  at  the  dictation  of 
European  money  lenders  for  the  purpose  of  confiscat 
ing  the  estates  of  our  people  and  giving  them  a  bonus 
to  the  owners  of  gold,  thus  opeinng  the  w&y  here  for 
*  bonanza  farming"  on  an  immense  scale,  and  making 
the  farmers  in  this  country  hereafter  renters,  as  in  the 
old  world,,  and  labor  the  obedient  slave  of  capital. 
This  was  no  secret,  even  during  the  progress  of  con 
traction;  but  was  openly  avowed  by  the  capitalists 
through  the  leading  metropolitan  newspapers,  both 
^Republican  and  Democratic — that  give  voice  not  to  the 
purposes  and  desires  of  the  people,  but  only  to  those  of 
the  "rich  man.''  It  must  come,  said  the  Kew  York 
Times  (Republican)  a  change  of  ownership  of  the  soil 
and  a  creation  of  a  class  of  land  owners  on  the  one 


APPENDIX. 


hand  and  of  tenant  farmers  on  the  other— something 
similar  to  what  has  long  existed  in  the  older  countries 
of  Europe."  And  the  New  York  World  (Democratic) 
said:  "  The  American  laborer  must  make  up  his  mind 
not  to  be  so  much  better  off  than  the  European  labor 
er.  Men  must  be  content  to  work  for  less  wages.  In 
this  way  the  working  man  will  be  nearer  that  station 
in  life  to  which  it  has  pleased  God  to  call  him." 

(2)  The  public  credit  is  not  strengthened;  for,  if 
another  war  were  upon  us,  as  in  1861,  can  any  man 
say  that  the  government  credit  would  be  better  now 
than  it  was  from  1861  to  1865?" 

"If  any,  speak!  for  him  have  I  offended."  The 
money  monopolists,  it  is  evident,  would  do  as  they  did 
before,  combine  to  run  the  nation's  credit  down  and 
to  run  the  price  of  gold  up  so  that  they  could  reap 
another  rich  harvest  from  the  misfortunes  of  our  be 
loved  country.  They  are  only  a  banditti — and  the  soon 
er  the  people  realize  this  truth  the  better.  Let  man 
kind  combine  against  the  money  power  as  the  money 
power  have  combined  against  mankind.  Let  the  peo 
ple  protect  themselves  against  their  greatest  enemy— 
the  money  sharks. 

Bonds  are  increased  in  their  market  value  because 
it  requires  for  their  payment  sixty  per  cent,  more  of 
products  than  was  originally  contracted;  and  it  is 
products  that  pay  all  debts.  One  dollar's  worth  of 
bond  is  worth  almost  two  dollar's  worth  of  wheat. 
The  usurer  gets  almost  twice  as  much  for  his  bond  as 
he  is  in  justice  and  equity  entitled  to,  of  grain,  pork 
and  beef— also  of  lands,  houses,  beasts  of  burden,  mills, 
factories,  machinery,  goods  of  every  kind  and  descrip 
tion — books,  paintings  and  every  other  handiwork, 
useful  or  ornamental.  In  proportion  as  labor  is  en 
slaved  do  the  few  find  it  easy  to  seize  upon  the  prod 
ucts  of  labor.  Is  our  country  free  to-day  V  Xo.  Why 
not  ?  Because  millionaires  are  hatched  out  here. 
They  are  incubated  only  through  slavery.  Bad  laws 
and  bad  institutions  turn  over  to  the  few  the  proceeds 
of  the  labor  of  the  many.  Good  laws  and  good  institu 
tions  would  prevent  this.  Capital  is  labor's  products. 
It  is  perishable.  Let  labor  cease  and  how  long  will 
capital  remain  ?  Ten  years  of  universal  idleness  would 
render  this  world  a  waste.  What  now  exists  of  labor's 
products  will  soon  not  be;  so  we  will  not  quarrel  about 
what  now  exists.  What  shall  be.  produced  by  toil  here 
after  should  belong  to  its  creators,  the  toilers.  This 


APPENDIX. 


is  our  thesis.  This  we  maintain  is  a  reasonable  de 
mand.  Let  the  laborer  be  not  robbed  of  the  fruits  of 
his  labor  and  all  wealth  will  remain  with  the  strong 
of  arm  who  produce  it.  Stop  "  dividing  up;"  cease 
taking  from  the  many  by  law  and  giving  to  the  few, 
and  the  working  bees  will  soon  own  and  control  all 
the  honey,  and  the  drones  will  be  hurried  outside  the 
hive  hungry.  All  is  in  a  nutshell  when  it  is  remem 
bered  that  capital  is  only  labor's  products,  perishable, 
passing  quickly  away,  to  be  renewed  by  toil,  and  that 
money  is  only  a  tool  designed  to  aid  production.  The 
cheaper  the  money  tool  the  better  for  producers,  and 
it  should,  at  least,  cost  them  as  little  as  it  costs  bank 
ers — passing  directly  from  the  government  to  them 
without  interest,  as  it  does  to  the  banks.  It  is  possi 
ble  to  dam  up  the  channels  through  which  products 
flow  out  of  the  hands  of  the  men  who  produce  them 
into  the  hands  of  the  idlers — the  "tally  ho"  of  eastern 
cities.  These  channels  are  the  monopolies.  Let  "  an 
ti-monopoly"  be  the  watch- word  of  all  toilers  and  the 
day  of  labor's  triumph  draws  nigh.  The  many  serve 
the  few  through  the  wage  system,  land  monopoly, 
corporate  monopoly,  and  the  bond  system.  The  screws 
areturned  by  these  giant  powers  and  the  wine  is 
pressed  out  of  the  people's  grapes  for  the  exhileration 
and  profit  of  the  man  in  "  purple  and  fine  linen  who 
fares  sumptuously  every  day"  and  at  whose  gate  Laz 
arus  begs.  The  people  are  helpless  as  sheep  before 
the  shearer  in  the  presence  of  the  great  engines  of 
corporate  tyranny,  especially  of  the  two  thousand 
national  banks  that  manipulate  the  bonds.  Four  per 
cent,  brings  as  much  of  labor  and  products  of  labor 
now  as  a  much  larger  per  cent,  did  ten  years  ago  (an 
end  aimed  at  and  secured  by  resumption  and  gold  pay 
ment)  and  the  principal  of  the  bonds  being  made  pay 
able  in  "  specie"  by  an  ex  post  facto  law  (clearly  un 
constitutional)  is  enhanced  in  value  beyond  the  abili 
ty  of  the  people  to  pay  for  many  years  to  come— a  con 
tinuous  mortgage  on  the  nation's  wealth— sucking  the 
life  blood  out  of  production  for  the  benefit  of  a  robber 
class  destitute  of  patriotism,  and  given  over  to  one 
passion  alone — insatiable  avarice. 

(3)  What  then  is  the  nation's  boasted  credit  to-day? 
Certainly  not  the  funding  of  matured  five  and  six  per 
cent,  bonds,  by  a  "  solemn  contract"  made  payable  in 
lawful  money  (greenbacks)  into  four  per  cent,  thirty 


APPENDIX. 


yearboads,  payable  in  gold  or  its  equivalent?  No, 
not  this. 

'•  Harken  that  ye  may  the  better  hear!"  It  is  the 
stupendous  lie  that  government  has  borrowed  for 
thirty  years  175  million  dollars  gold  of  the  European 
syndicate  at  four  per  cent,  annual  interest.  The  gov 
ernment  has  "borrowed"  not  one  dollar  of  gold.  We 
have  indeed  agreed  to  pay  385  million  dollars  gold  for 
175  million  dollars  greenbacks;  and  this,  in  truth,  is 
the  whole  sum  of  our  boasted  credit!  ''Let  facts  be 
submitted  to  a  candid  world."  Gold  (175  million  dol 
lars)  has  been  placed  on  deposit  in  the  government 
safe  on  call,  the  syndicate  having  it  in  their  power  as 
all  men  know,  to  withdraw,  in  exchange  for  green 
backs  "  presented  for  redemption"  every  dollar  of  this 
gold  from  the  national  treasury  at  any  moment  by  a 
click  of  the  telegraph  instrument.  The  late  secretary 
of  the  treasury,  Mr.  Sherman  denominates  greenbacks 
"gold  certificates."  Wall  street  has  this  gold  right 
under  its  thumb.  Greenbacks  are  advertised  by  gov 
ernment  authority  "  redeemable  in  gold  at  the  sub- 
treasury  in  New  York  in  sums  of  fifty  dollars  and 
upwards."  Will  any  man  dare  say  that  the  money 
power  cannot  command  and  present  for  redemption 
175  million  dollars  greenbacks,  when  even  the  nation 
al  banks  profess  to  be  able  to  retire  instantaneously 
200  million  dollars  of  their  circulation  by  depositing 
greenbacks  in  ihe  United  States  Treasury  to  that 
amount.  These bullionists  act  in  concert  the  world 
over.  They  are  united  as  one  man.  Wall  street  is  the 
head-centre,  the  agency,  in  this  country,  of  the  syn 
dicate  of  the  old  world.  It  is  understood  that  the  syn 
dicate  can  and  will  remove  this  gold  from  the  United 
States  treasury  whenever  they  please  to  do  so;  and,  it 
is  clear,  that  they  will  please  to  do  so  whenever  they 
lose  control  of  our  government.  These  millions  of 
gold  will  not  remain  on  deposit  in  the  national  treas 
ury,  in  all  probability,  ten  years  longer;  for  the  peo 
ple  will  certainly,  ere  then,  awaken  to  see  the  situa 
tion  and  will  a»  certainly  throw  off  the  yoke  of  their 
foreign  masters  as  our  fathers  did  that  of  George  III. 
in  1776,  establishing  a  legal-tender  basis  for  money, 
demonetizing  gold  and  silver  and  wiping  out  the  stu 
pendous  rob  oery  denominated  the  national  debt. 

For  the  175  million  dollars  gold  placed  by  the  syndi 
cate  on  deposit  in  the  government  safe  on  call  for 
greenbacks,  the  government  has  given  four  per  cent. 


io  APPENDIX, 

thirty  year  bonds,  interest  and  principal  payable  in 
"specie,"  which  Mr.  Sherman  defines  to  mean  "gold 
or  its  equivalent." 

Interest  on  these  to  maturity $210,000,000 

Face  of  bonds 175,000,000 


Total $385,000,000 

gold  paid  by  the  people  to  "redeem"  175  miHio-i  dollars 
greenbacks! 

In  the  same  fraudulent  way  the  people  are  made  to 
give  in  "gold  or  its  equivalent"  175  million  dollars  for 
silver  to  displace  for  twenty  years  50  million  dollars 
fractional  paper  currency — three  dollars  and  fifty  cents 
gold  equivalent  for  each  dollar  of  paper  money. 

Bonds $  50,000,000 

Int.  5  per  cent.  30  years -     . .     75,000,000 

Silver  worn  out  in  20  years .•    50,000,000 

Total $175,000,000 

The  silver  coin  will  be  worn  out  and  gone  ten  years 
before  the  bonds  become  due.  As  the  holder  of  a  sin 
ecure  in  England  is  paid  a  large  salary,  or  a  "star 
route"  contractor  in  our  country  "reaps  where  he  has 
not  sown,"  so  do  we  rent  at  great  cost  imaginary  silver. 
To  keep  50  million  dollars  silver  currency  actually 
afloat  until  the  thirty  year  bonds  become  due,  will  re 
quire 

Bonded  debt  (additional) $  50,000,000 

Int.  10  years  "  25,000,000 

Silver  worn  out     "  25,000,000 

Add  previous  expenditure 175,000,000 

Total  . . ; .#275,0007)66 

or  five  dollars  and  fifty  cents  "  gold  equivalent"  for 
each  dollar  displaced  of  fractional  paper  money.  The 
length  of  time  silver  coin  in  actual  use  as  a  currency  is 
estimated  to  last  is  only  twenty  years,  on  a  principle 
of  reckoning  similar  to"  that  which  places  the  average 
life  of  man  st  thirty-six  years.  Some  men,  however, 
live  to  be  a  hundred  years  old  and  some  silver  coins 
are  very  ancient.  Fifty  million  dollars  silver  coin  to 
last  a  century  for  a  currency  will  cost,  on  the  Sherman 
plan 
30  years  bonds  (5  issues  50  million  dollars 

each,) $250,000,000 

Interest  150  years 375,000,000 

Silver  worn  out  in  100  years 250,000,000 

Total $875,000,000 


APPENDIX.  ii 


to  take  the  place  of  50  million  dollars  fractional  paper 
money,  a  better  money  than  silver  and  that  costs  only 
the  price  of  the  paper  aiid  the  printing — not  so  much 
as  even  the  coinage  of  the  silver — seventeen  dollars 
and  fifty  cents  <;  specie"  (gold  equivalent)  for  each  dol 
lar  of  paper  money.  This  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  whole 
resumption  cheat. 

The  government  gives  210  million  dollars  bonus  to 
European  capitalists  to  induce  them  to  deposit  with 
our  government  175  million  dollars  gold,  to  remain  on 
deposit  in  the  government  safe  just  so  long  as  the  syn 
dicate  that  deposits  it  pleases  to  allow  and  to  be  drawn 
put  by  them  at  their  discretion  in  redemption  of  non- 
interest-bearing  greenbacks  at  par,  the  government 
paying  interest  on  the  gold  say,  at  least,  twenty  years 
after  the  syndicate  has  got  it  all  back  in  their  own 
vaults  in  exchange  for  greenbacks,  385  million  dollars 
gold  paid  for  175  million  dollars  greenbacks — two  dol 
lars  and  twenty  cents  gold  for  each  dollar  greenback 
money. 

At  one  time  during  the  war,  the  patriotic  bullion 
owners  bid  one  dollar  gold  for  two  dollars  and  eighty- 
five  cents,  greenbacks,  investing  in  greenbacks  at  that 
price,  they  said,  "to  make  some  monish."  Now  the 
grateful  government  "resumes"  giving  the  bullion 
owners  two  dollars  and  twenty  cents  gold  for  each  of 
at  least  175 million  dollars  greenbacks  "to  strengthen 
the  public  credit." 

II— THE  NATIONAL  BANKING   FRAUD. 

Let  us  now  look  at  the  national  banking  fraud. 

The  notes  of  these  banks  are  said  to  be  "redeemable." 
This  saying  is  a  lie.  They  are  declared  by  law  "re 
ceivable  at  par  in  all  pans  of  the  United  States  in  pay 
ment  of  all  taxes  and  excises  and  all  other  dues  to  the 
United  States  except  duties  on  imports,  and  also  for 
all  salaries  and  other  debts  and  demands  owing  by  the 
United  States  to  individuals,  corporations  and  associ 
ations  within  the  United  States,  except  interest  on 
public  debt."  And  the  statute  also  expressly  declares 
these  notes  "money."  Why  was  this  endorsement 
given  them  by  the  government  V  Being  thus  endorsed, 
declared  to  be  *•  money,"  and  forced  into  circulation 
-paid  out  to  certain  creditors  of  the  nation  ["honest," 
must  we  say,  "  to  pay  those  creditors  national  bank 
'money;'"  "dishonest"  to  pay  bond  owners  green 
backs!]  and  received  in  payment  of  public  dues  by 


12  APPENDIX. 

the  authority  of  law,  renders  national  bank  bills 
practically  identical  as  money  with  greenbacks  in 
which  they  are  pretended  to  be  redeemable.  N  ation- 
al  bank  bills  are  no  more  redeemable  than  are  silver 
and  gold.  They  are  inter-changeable  at  par  for  other 
forms  of  money.  Trade  dollars  are  not  thus  inter 
changeable  because  not  legal  tender.  It  is  clearly 
not  optional  with  government,  "individuals,  corpora 
tions,  and  associations"  to  "  receive"  national  bank 
bills  or  not  when  presented  or  tendered  in  payment  of 
taxes  and  debts  as  the  law  directs.  They  are,  by  law, 
compelled  to  receive  and  not  refuse  them.  Law  lays 
down  a  rule  binding  every  day,  every  hour,  every 
minute  and  every  second  until  repealed.  Therefore 
until  the  statute  (speaking  the  nation's  voice  repeal 
ing  this  robber  law)  says  "  refusable,"  the  bank  bills 
must  circulate  as  fiat  money,  and  never  return  upon 
the  issuer.  It  is  a  huge  sham  to  talk  of  one  money 
being  redeemable  in  another  money — the  one  being 
made  as  good  by  legal  endorsement  as  the  other.  Le 
gal-tender  and  quasi  legal  tender  may  be  interchange 
able,  but  not  redeemable,  interchangeableness  being 
the  result  o"  par  value,  not  par  value  the  result  of  in 
terchangeableness.  No  man  will  ever  be  so  idiotic  as 
to  present  a  national  bank  bill  for  "redemption"  in 
greenbacks  with  the  expectation  of  obtaining  a  bet 
ter  money  thereby  wrhile  the  bank  bill  continues  "re 
ceivable"  for  taxes,  salaries,  etc;  The  authors  of  this 
measure  to  conceal  their  selfis  i  purpose  i  e vised  a  cun 
ning  •  heat,  procuring  congress  to  place  upon  the  bank 
bills  the  word  "  receivable"  instead  of  the  word  '•  legal 
tender."  Worthless  non-interest-bearing  bank  notes— 
the  credit  of  private  corporations,  they  had  government 
endorse  and  make  practically  legal-tender  under  cover 
of  the  word  receivable."  "  Grave  doubts"  have  never 
been  entertained  by  the  national  bankers,  nor  by  their 
accredited  agents  in  the  presidential  chair  (it  would 
seem)  of  the  power  of  congress  to  do  this.  It  is  (we 
must  conclude)  in  their  opinion  *•  constitutional"  for 
congress  to  enact  that  national  bank  bills  "  shall  be  re 
ceivable  at  par  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  in  pay 
ment  of  all  taxes  and  excises  and  all  other  dues  to  the 
United  States,  except  duties  on  imports  and  also  for 
all  salaries  and  other  debts  and  demands  owing  by  the 
United  States  to  individuals,  corporations  and  associa 
tions  within  the  United  States  except  interest  on  pub 
lic  debt."  But  to  bestow  precisely  this  same,  tax-pay- 


APPENDIX.  13 

ing  and  debt-paying  quality  and  power  on  greenbacks, 
the  credit  of  the  government  ''grave  doubts  are  en 
tertained  whether  it  is  warranted  by  the  constitution," 
say  th-y.  The  national  banking  corporations  have  is 
sued  their  ukase  and  thr  e  successive  presidents  of 
the  United  States  in  the  role  of  heralds  have  proclaimed 
it:  "Theg  eenback  must  be  destroyed"  Then  will 
the  money  lenders  have  the  pe  pie  completely  in  heir 
power  and  all  business  under  a  deadfall.  The  bank 
ing  and  credi.  or  class  may  spring  the  trigger,  crush 
all  industries  and  bankrupt  society  at  pleasure,  gath 
ering  all  the  property  of  the  debtor  class  into  their 
possession. 

The  endorsement  of  government  clearly  monetizes 
the  national  bank  bills,  equalizes  them  with  greenbacks 
in  money  quality  for  the  payments  named  in  the  law 
and  for  all  ther  payments,  since  no  one  will  refuse 
that  "  money"  which  the  government  of  his  country 
accepts,  without  it  may  be  the  national  bankers  them 
selves  who,  having  this  license,  will  use  it  when  it 
shall  be  to  their  interest  to  do  so.  Who  will  present 
an  axe  to  be  redeemed  in  another  axe  no  better  than 
the  one  to  be  redeemed?  The  axes  might  be  inter 
changeable  if  equally  good,  it  being  then  indifferent 
which  axe  one  had  to  work  with, — interchangeable  be 
cause  equally  good,  not  equally  good  because  inter 
changeable.  A  distinction  with  a  marked  difference. 
Kick  badly  one  of  the  axes,  leaving  the  other  sharp,, 
and  they  are  no  longer  interchangeable  the  one  for  the 
other  indifferently.  The  sharp  axe  will  be  taken  by 
the  workmen  every  time  and  the  dull  axe  left  behind. 
Kick  the  greenback  deprive  it  of  legal  tender  quality, 
as  President  Garfield  asks  Congres  to  do,  and  no  man 
will  take  greenbacks  when  bank  bills  can  be  had  that 
have  the  word  "  receivable"  stamped  upon  them  by  law 
— take  away  "  receivable"  from  bank  bills,  as  the  peo 
ple  should  compel  their  servants — the  law  makers  at 
Washington — immediately  to  do,  and  no  one  will  take 
bank  bills  when  greenbacks  marked  "  legal-tender" 
can  be  obtained. 

But  let  Congress  attempt  to  demonetize  the  nation 
al  bank  bills  and  the  national  bankers  will  protest 
against  it  loudly,  unless  the  greenbacks  are  demone 
tized  at  the  same  time.  They  will  not  oppose  the  de 
monetization  of  the  national  bank  bills  after  the  green 
backs  have  all  been  destroyed;  for  they  have  so  de 
clared  in  resolution  at  Saratoga;  since,  to  deprive  the 


14  APPENDIX. 

people  of  all  debt-paying,  tax-paying  paper  money 
would  render  them  still  more  powerless  and  depend- 


yoke.  Bank  paper  would  still  circulate ;  for  the  peo 
ple  must  have  a  paper  currency  and  "wild  cat"  is 
preferable  to  no  paper  money  at  all.  Legal  tender  pa 
per  afloat,  bank  notes  could  not  by  any  means  have 
been  palmed  upon  the  people  during  the  war  but  for 
their  endorsement  by  government.  This  is  the  reason 
why  "  receivable"  was  printed  on  the  Dills.  Govern 
ment  endorsement  was  essential  to  the  bank  note  then, 
because  the  greenback  existed  and  while  the  greenback 
continues  to  exist  it  is  essential  still.  Bank  paper  can 
not  survive  and  float  beside  the  greenback  a  day  with 
out  being  quasi  legal  tender— a  greenback  in  disguise, 
but  a  thief  and  a  robber  in  fact  and  in  deed.  The  rea 
son  why  old  style  bank  notes  ever  floated  as  a  currency 
is,  clearly,  the  superiority  of  paper  money  over  metal 
money  in  convenience.  The  people  were  willing  to 
take  risks  and  receive  bank  paper  solely  because  of  the 
inconvenience  of  handling  specie.  It  was  a  price  paid 
for  convenient  money  that  every  dollar  of  wild-cat  pa 
per  did  not  hasten  immediately  back  to  the  banks  for 
redemption  in  coin.  Nobody  wanted  coin  if  paper 
could  be  had  that  was  passable,  and  nobody  wants 
coin  to-day,  as  Mr.  Sherman  himself  admits.  The 
bond-owners  are  clamoring  for  the  demonetization  of 
the  greenbacks  so  that  bank  bills  may  be  the  only  pa 
per  money  of  our  country  and  the  lords  and  gods  of  the 
United  States  be  forever  the  national  bankers.  Says 
the  New  York  Mercantile  Journal:  "The  national 
bank  managers  insist  upon  retaining  power  to  regulate 
the  volume  of  the  currency  at  their  pleasure,  and  with 
out  any  restriction  from  the  laws  under  which  banks 
are  organized.  Twenty  years  ago  the  government 
could  have  as  logically  surrendered  its  capital  to  the 
rebels,  as  Congress  can  now  surrender  this  power  to 
the  banks  or  to  any  particular  class  of  its  citizens." 
Did  not  the  banks  threaten  the  government  and  the 
nation  the  other  day  with  a  contraction  of  the  currency 
that  would  destroy  all  business,  and  did  not  President 
Hayes  get  down  on  his  coward  kness  to  them  and  veto 
the  refunding  bill  at  their  dictation  ?  and  does  not  Presi 
dent  Garfield  say :  '•  The  refunding  of  the  national 
debt  at  a  low  rate  of  interest  should  be  accomplished 


APPENDIX.  15 

without  compelling  the  withdrawal  of  the  national 
bank  notes  and  thus  disturbing  the  business  of  the 
country?"— "Compelling!"— the  banks  hold  over  the 
heads  of  the  people  the  threat  of  "  retiring  their  circu 
lation"  to  compel  them  to  yield  to  the  wicked  demands 
of  soulless  corporations,  mad  as  were  the  slave  buyers 
before  the  war  and  as  determined  to  rule  or  ruin.  But 
each  and  every  national  bank  bill  would  be  "  retiied 
from  circulation"  by  the  people  themselves  "  pass  to 
the  bourne  whence  no  traveler  returns"— be  spurned 
.as  they  ought  to  be  now  under  our  feet,  if  they  were 
not  "  receivable"  for  public  dues,  etc.,  but  depended 
sor  value  on  redeemability  in  legal-tender  paper  mon 
ey.  Having  no  superiority  over  greenbacks  in  conven 
ience  (as  old  style  bank  paper  had  over  specie;  and 
being  no  longer  "receivable,"  bank  bills  would  not  be 
in  any  demand  when  greenbacks  could  be  obtained. 
National  bank  bills  are  practically  an  "  irredeemable" 
currency,  there  being  no  difference  in  their  nature 
from  greenbacks  in  a  legal  sense— even  exempt  from 
taxation  as  a  form  of  "government  credits"— same  as 
greenbacks.  The  points  of  difference  are  these:  their 
tremendous  expensiveness  to  the  people  and  the  sham 
pretense  of  being  an  "  innocent  note  payable  in  green 
backs  on  demand."  They  are  a  lie,  a  cheat,  a  whole 
sale  robbery  of  the  people,  a  confiscation  (at  one  swoop) 
of  350  million  dollars  of  the  nation's  wealth  and  its  be 
stowal  gratis  on  the  bond  owning  class— and  this  last 
statement  will  bear  repeating  until  public  attention  is 
awakened  to  the  enormity  of  the  wrong. 

It  is  worthy  of  special  note  that  while  bank  bills  are 
practically  legal  tender  in  payment  of  public  dues,  sala 
ries  of  officials,  as  postmasters,  etc.— for  soldiers  pay 
and  pensions  of  disabled  "boys  in  blue"  and  their 
widows  and  orphans— for  wages  of  all  laborers  em 
ployed  on  public  works — carpenters,  masons,  hod-car- 
riiers,  etc., — to  canal,  railroad  and  ship  companies  for 
transportation  of  troops,  munitions  of  war  and  carry 
ing  the  mails — t »  manufacturing  companies  in  pay 
ment  for  powder,  balls,  pistols,  guns,  cannons,  and 
all  other  war  implements  and  material — to  merchants 
for  clothing,  and  to  farmers  for  provisions  for  army 
and  navy— to  ship  builders  in  payment  for  monitors 
and  other  ships  of  war— yet  they  are  not  "  receivable" 
by  the  bankers  themselves  as  a  class  for  what  the  peo 
ple  owe  them.  And  the  government,  too,  is  choked 
off  from  paying  the  national  bankers  in  ,  heir  own 


1 6  APPENDIX. 

'•money"  the  interest  on  the  very  bonds  that  are  the 
basis  of  the  banking  fraud.  Each  banker  is  obliged  to 
accept  only  his  own  individual  currency  from  the  peo 
ple  and  not  national  bank  bills  in  general — and  from 
the  government  not  even  his  own  individual  bank  notes 
as  interest  on  bonds,  which  "  shall  be  paid  in  coin." 
Who  dictated  the  passage  of  this  despicable  act,  ex 
empting  the  national  banking  class  from  the  necessity 
of  taking  bank  "  money"  and  forcing  it  on  government 
and  individuals?  The  people  never  dictated  the  pas 
sage  of  any  such  preposterous  law;  but  only  the  brazen 
faced  national  bankers  themselves.  The  national  bank 
ers  have  been  presented  a  bonus  of  350  million  dollars 
tax-paying,  debt-paying  "money" — a  virtual  conlisca- 
tion,  (I  again  affirm)  of  350  million  dollars  of  the  peo 
ple's  property  and  the  giving  of  the  same  gratis  to  a 
class  of  men  able  to  live  without  bi  ing  thus  supported 
as  paupers  by  lavish  taxation  and  sweeping  robbery  of 
the  producing  class.  Giving  away  the  checks  for  prop 
erty  is  the  same  thing  in  effect  as  giving  away  the 
property  itself  that  the  checks  will  buy — a  wholesale 
confiscation  (let  us  ever  bear  in  mind)  of  350  million 
dollars  of  the  people's  property  and  its  bestowal  gratis 
on  the  bond  owning  class — "communism,"  indeed  of 
the  most  hateful  type;  for  it  is  robbing  the  poor  to 
give  to  the  rich.  Give  me  the  checks  for  all  the  prop 
erty  of  the  nation  and  all  the-property  of  the  nation  is 
mine,  as  when  I  have  a  sheriff's  deed  for  your  farm  it 
is  mine.  Let  prices  rise  or  fall  it  is  no  matter.  I  can 
command  all  things  for  sale.  Let  the  farmer  be  deluded 
with  an  apparent  high  price  for  his  grain,  pork  and 
beef,  in  consequence  of  an  inflation  of  bank  bills — it  is 
only  a  delusion — the  grain,  and  pork  and  beef  are  the 
bankers  who  have  received  as  a  gratuity  from  govern 
ment  the  checks  that  must  command  the  surplus 
products  and  the  labor  of  f  he  land.  Inflation  of  bank 
bills  and  consequent  advanced  prices  of  labor  and 
products,  are  no  sign  of  prosperity  of  producers  and 
laborers  as  a  class,  but  mark  only  the  issuance  by  g  >v- 
ernment  gratuitously  to  bond  owners  of  so  many  more 
checks  for  property  and  labor— the  confiscation  of  so 
much  more  of  the  wealth  of  the  country  and  its  bestow 
al  gratis  on  the  bond-owning  class.  The  bond  owners 
have  only  to  present  the  checks  that  cost  them  nothing 
and  walk  off  with  the  property.  Let  the  government' 
legalize  counterfeiting  as  it  "has  legalized  national 
banking  and  it  wrould  be  no  greater  but  only  the  very 


APPENDIX.  17 

same  wrong  to  labor.  And  let  it  give  into  the  hands 
of  a  few  counterfeiters  the  monopoly  of  issuing  an  un 
limited  amount  of  counterfeit  paper  money,  the  gov 
ernment  endorsing  this  paper  as  it  does  national  bank 
bills,  (which  are,  in  fact,  only  counterfeit  money  le 
galized)  let  these  monopolists  issue  at  once  350  million 
dollars  of  this  sham  "  money"  made  a  good  as  gold  by 
legal  endorsement — same  as  national  bank  notes  are. 
Times  w  11,  of  course,  become  flush,  because  of  the 
abundance  of  this  counterfeit  currency;  and  shallow 
observers  and  interested  liars  and  deceivers  of  the 
people  will  gloat  over  the  •' wonderful  prosperity"  of 
the  country,  as  they  do  now.  But  the  fact  will  ever 
remain  incontrovertable,  as  it  is  to  day,  under  nation 
al  banking,  that  the  ownership  of  350  million  dollars 
worth  of  property  thus  passes  from  the  many  to  the  few 
— fronn  the  people  to  the  counterfeiters.  This  is  na 
tional  banking  (legalized  counterfeiting)  and  its  results 
as  seen  to-day  in  our  country.  What  a  tremendous 
advantage  this  robber  system  gives  British  capital  over 
American  labor!  British  capitalists  through  their 
agents  establish  and  control  the  principal  money  cor 
porations  in  America.  It  is  British  capital  under  spe 
cie  basis  and  national  banking  that  moves  and  controls 
through  Wall  street,  all  the  great  operations  of  busi 
ness  and  exchange  on  this  continent.  By  giving  up 
the  legal-tender  greenback,  we  abdicate  power,  sur 
render  sovereignty,  become  vassals  and  slaves  of  Eng 
land — paying  tribute  to  her  moneyed  aristocracy  be 
yond  all  that  is  exacted  by  her  from  India,  Africa, 
Australia,  Canada,  and  all  her  other  colonies  and  pos 
sessions,  and  far  beyond  the  wildest  dreams  and  ex 
pectations  of  George  III,  and  the  fears  that  led  our 
fathers  into  the  war  of  the  Revolution — the  annual 
drain  on  American  production  for  interest  alone  even 
now,  being  (as  will  be  more  fully  shown  before  the 
close  of  this  lecture)  not  less  than  1,300  million  dollars! 
An  English  writer  lately  said:  "  The  large  capital  of 
England  is  the  most  essential  weapon  now  remaining 
by  which  our  [England's]  supremacy  can  be  main 
tained."  And  the  London  Economist  adds:  "When 
the  United  States  debt  is  paid  oft'  it  will,  in  effect  be 
a  subtraction  from  the  profits  of  European  capital  equal 
to  an  income  tax  of  three  shillings  in  the  pound.'* 
How  true  are  the  words  of  Mr.  Winder,  who,  in  his 
testimony  before  the  monetary  -commission  of  the 

2* 


18  APPENDIX. 

Forty-fifth  Congress,  said:  •'  The  power  of  a  creditor 
country  over  the  currency,  interest  and  welfare  of 
a  largely  debtor  country  with  convertible  currency, 
is  more  searching,  absolute  and  despotic  than  that  of 
any  tyrant  that  has  ever  plundered  the  people.  And 
he  further  adds :  "But  the  great,  and  transcendent 
wrong  (and  most  absurd  violation  of  every  principle 
of  justice  and  political  economy)  was  the  change  of 
payment  of  the  bonds  from  greenbacks  to  coin.  But 
it  was  of  a  piece  with  all  the  rest  of  the  financial  pol 
icy  of  our  government,  which  seems  to  have  been  (as 
most  assuredly  it  was)  as  wholly  in  favor  of  foreign 
interests  and  against  American,  as  though  our  admin 
istration  had  been  conducted  exclusively  by  foreign 
cabinets." 

The  Old  World  has  gold  that  has  been,  thousands 
of  years,  accumulating  in  the  vaults  of  her  banks 
through  usury  and  the  plundering  of  weak  nations  by 
force  of  arms  in  the  interest  of  the  lords  "of  cash." 
The  New  World  has  products  that  spring  almost 
spontaneously  fiom  her  virgin  soil.  It  is  evidently 
the  cunning  and  hateful  purpose  of  the  Old  World 
bullionists  to  absorb  (or  steal)  the  products  of  the  New 
World  through  interest  paid  by  us  to  them,  for  a  thing 
we  do  not  need,  and  really  cannot  use,  i.  e.,  gold.  Sup 
pose  Mr.  Sherman  did,  indeed,  purchase  in  good  faith 
with  the  four  per  cent  thirty  year  bonds  175  million 
dollars  British  gold  now  in  the  treasury,  intending  it 
to  be  coined  into  currency  to  circulate  in  the  channels 
of  business  here  instead  of  legal  tender  greenbacks, 
until  worn  out — a  very  few  years — not  over  fifteen; 
for  gold  being  softer,  wears  out  more  readily  than  sil 
ver — the  cost  to  the  people  will  be  a  clean  loss  of 

Bonded  debt  to  be  paid $175,000,000 

Interest  30  years 210,000,000 

Gold  coin  worn  out 175,000,000 


Total $560,000,000 

for  the  sake  of  having  in  circulation  for  fifteen  years 
175  million  dollars  gold  coin  in  the  place  of  175  million 
dollars  greenbacks.  To  keep  this  amount  of  gold  cur 
rency  in  the  channels  of  business  here  for  thirty  years 
on  the  Mierman  plan,  as  above,  will  cost  our  people 
1,120  million  dollars;  and  for  one  hundrod  years  3,700 
million  dollars — a  constant  outflow  of  37  million  dol 
lars  yearly  tribute  to  England,  while  greenbacks 
Would  cost  comparatively  nothing,  saving  to  our  in- 


APPENDIX.  19 

dustries  nearly  every  dollar  of  this  vast  sum,  which 
must  be  paid  to  European  capitalists  in  our  suiplus 
products,  wheat,  corn,  pork,  beef,  cotton  and  wool,  etc., 
at  gold  prices — lower  and  lower  as  gold  becomes 
scarcer  and  scarcer.  *  *  *  *  Gold  and  silver  must 
be  "monetized"  by  legal  enactment  to  be  valid  money 
same  as  paper,  which  if  f  urnished  the  people  by  the 
government  after  the  plan  of  1723,  so  highly  approved 
by  Dr.  Franklin,  would  be  a  source  of  revenue  to  our 
country. 

But  paper  money  is  now,  has  been  for  many  years 
and  ever  will  be  practically  the  only  money  of  busi 
ness.  Let  this  be  no  longer  issued  as  a  loan  without 
interest  by  the  government  to  bondowners.  National 
banking  should  be  at  once  suppressed.  If  under 
this  system  we  are  not  compelled  as  "individuals, 
corporations  and  associations"  to  borrow  directly  the 
foreigner's  gold,  we  are  compelled  to  borrow  national 
bank  bills,  issued  by  our  government  gratis  to  the 
agents  of  British  capitalists,  who  have  invested  their 
gold  in  American  bonds,  How  completely,  then,  the 
national  banking  system  and  specie  basis  bring  us  in 
to  dependence  upon  foreign  bullion  owners  for  money 
both  paper  and  specie  !  "We  exchange  government 
bonds  for  bullion  to  be  coined  into  specie,  and  these 
same  bonds  are  then  made  the  basis  of  national  bank 
ing—ninety  per  cent  of  their  face  value  being  return 
ed  to  the  bond  purchaser  by  the  government,  in  na 
tional  bank  money  made  as  good  as  greenbacks  by 
government  endorsement — a  free  gift  to  the  bond- 
owners—one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  four,  five  or 
six  per  cent  bonds,  costing  the  banker  only  ten  thous 
and  dollars.  Upon  this  small  investment  he  draws 
from  the  production  of  our  country  four  thousand, 
five  thousand  or  six  thousand  dollars  yearly  interest. 

Kather  let  the  law  say  to  every  working  man  in 
America  "Deposit  your  earnings  in  trie  money-order 
postoffice,  receive  from  government  four  per  cent 
annual  interest  on  the  same  for  thirty  years,  take 
back  immediately  from  government  ninety  per  cent 
in  money  as  good  as  thac  you  deposit— on  the  same 
terms  that  bondowners  are  given  ninety  per  cent  of 
the  face  value  of  their  bonds  in  tax-paying,  debt-pay 
ing  "money."  Such  appreciative  attention  to  the 
interest?  of  the  toilers  by  the  government  would  be  a 
great  boon  to  the  industrious,  going  far  to  preserve 
in  the  hands  of  the  working  people  the  wealth  pro- 


20  APPENDIX. 

duced  by  them.  If  the  government  must  pay  interest, 
let  it  be  paid  to  American  workers  to  stimulate  pro 
duction  and  aid  producers,  and  not  to  British  capital 
ists  and  their  agents  to  be  used  by  them  to  break  down 
our  government,  as  those  capitalists  attempted  to  do 
by  openly  assisting  the  South  in  the  late  war,  for 
which  England  was  compelled  to  make  restitution  to 
the  United  States  for  damages  of  sixteen  and  one-half 
millions  of  dollars,  British  capitalists  aie  pur  enemies 
to-day,  as  they  were  during  our  civil  strife.  British 
aristocracy  is  the  unrelenting  foe  of  American  Dem 
ocracy. 

Why  should  not  the  toiler  have  the  right  to  deposit 
even  his  ten  dollars  and  draw  upon  it  four  per  cent 
annual  interest  for  thirty  years,  receiving  also  imme 
diately  from  government  nine  dollars  of  currency,  if 
the  bondowner,  is  allowed  on  his  one  hundred  thous 
and  dollars  invested  in  bonds  four  per  cent  annual  in 
terest  for  thirty  years  and  a  bonus  of  ninety  thousand 
dollars  legal  paper  "money  ?"  Is  not  the  ten  dollars 
of  the  earnings  of  an  American  laborer  as  deserving 
of  a  bonus  of  nine  dollars  and  four  per  cent  annual 
interest  for  thirty  years,  as  the  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  of  bondowners,  money,  got  by  usury,  is  of  a 
bonus  of  ninety  thousand  dollars  and  four  per  cent 
annual  interest  for  thirty  years?  Let  the  toilers  of 
our  country  demand  equal  rights  under  our  laws  with 
foreign  capitalists  and  their  Tory  agents  here  that 
manipulate  the  government  to  sustain  the  national 
banking  swindle. 

Then  (to  show  more  clearly  the  superior  possibilities 
and  -'advantage  "  of  national  banking  even,  on  a 
small  scale)  the  working  man  might,  with  a  capital  of 
only  twenty  dollars,  deposit  in  the  money-order  post- 
office  ten  dollars,  receive  back  nine,  deposit  ten  again, 
receive  bacic  nine,  and  going  on  in  this  way  until  he 
has  not  a  ten  to  deposit,  he  would  have  the  govern 
ment  indebted  to  him  one  hundred  and  ten  dollars, 
and  yet  have  remaining  nine  of  his  original  twenty 
dollars  capital.  This  investment  of  only  eleven  dol 
lars,  would  bring  him  four  dollars  and  forty  cents  per 
annum  interest,  forty  per  cent  or  in  thirty  years  one 
hundred  and  thirty-two  dollars,  drawn  from  the  na 
tional  government.  Figures  do  not  lie.  This  is  an 
epitome  of  the  national  banking  system.  At  the  end 
of  twenty  years  the  banker  has  received  from  govern 
ment  eighty  thousand  dollar?  interest  on  a  ten 


APPENDIX.  21 

thousand  dollar  loan— 40  pr.  ct.  pr.  annum.  Every  4 
per  cent  bond  held  as  the  basis  of  national  banking, 
pays  the  banker  forty  per  cent  per  annum,  while  his 
bank  charter  lasts,  every  five  per  cent,  fifty,  and  every 
six  per  cent,  sixty,  for  one  hundred  thousand  dollars 
in  bonds  costs  him  only  ten  thousand  dollars — the 
ninety  per  cent  tax-paying,  debt-paying  money  return 
ed  being  practically  a  free  gift  to  the  banker  from  the 
government.  To  lend  the  banker,  (or  any  man,)  money 
for  twenty  years  without  interest  is,  in  effect,  to  make 
him  a  present  of  the  money,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
banker's  having  his  loan  renewed  by  getting  his  bank 
"rechartered"  at  the  end  of  the  twenty  years,  which 
he  confidently  expects  to  do,  and  certainly  will  do,  if 
the  people  do  not  again  take  control  of  the  govern 
ment  and  prevent  it,  as  they  did  when  they  elected 
old  "Hickory"  Jackson,  of  blessed  memory,  President. 
Truly  the  national  banking  system  gives  the  capital-* 
ists  an  unlimited  power  over  the  people,  of  taxation 
and  extortion — a  power  greater  than  our  government 
itself  possesses,  that,  in  theory,  cannot  tax  the  people 
without  their  consent  (though  in  practice  it  often 
does.)  These  corporations  are  the  absolute  masters 
of  the  American  people  to-day.  O  that  we  could  say 
in  reverbant  tones,  awakening  a  slumbering  nation: 
They  shall  not  be  so  to-morrow  !  They  can  bankrupt 
and  make  a  tramp  of  every  business  man  in  the  Unit 
ed  States  in  thirty  days;  and  they  will  do  it  whenever 
they  deem  it  to  their  interest.  They  threaten  it  now, 
if  not  obeyed  by  the  recreant  old-party  leaders,  who 
are,  at  this  moment,  in  greater  terror  of  the  banks 
ban  the  Czar  is  of  the  Nihilists.  Let  the  national 
banks  suddenly  retire  their  circulation  200  million 
dollars,  as  they  have  threatened  to  do,  if  not  obeyed 
by  the  government,  and  ruin  will  sweep  through  this 
land,  devouring  all  business  as  the  flames  devoured 
Chicago.  Public  indignation,  rising  to  sublime  inten 
sity  as  it  did  in  the  North  when  Beauregard  opened 
fire  on  Sumter,  would  bury  the  rotten  leaders  out 
of  sight.  Our  country  to-day  is  Prometheus, 

"Chained  to  the  cold  rocks  of  Mount  Caucasus" 

the  national  banking  corporations  are 

"The  vulture  at  his  vitals;1' 

corrupt  party  leaders,  Vulcan,  who  forged  the  chains 
that  bind  our  country.    The  "links  of  the  lame  Lem- 
nean"  are  indeed  "festering"  in  her  flesh! 
If  the  laws  would  only  declare  farmers'  notes  with- 


22  APPENDIX. 

out  interest  secured  by  first  mortgage  on  productive 
lands  (the  notes  covering  say  ninety  per  cent  legal 
valuation  of  taxable  land  — same  per  cent  of  credit 
as  is  allowed  capitalists  on  non-taxable  bonds)  "re 
ceivable  at  par  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  in 
payment  of  all  taxes  and  excise  and  all  other  dues  to 
to  the  United  States,  except  duties  on  imports  and 
also  for  all  salaries  and  other  debts  and  demands  ow 
ing  by  the  United  States  to  individuals,  corporations 
and  associations  within  the  United  States  except  in 
terest  on  public  debt,"  how  soon  would  the  farmers 
be  free  from  the  burden  of  usury  ?  These  notes  being 
thus  '  monetized"  by  the  endorsement  of  the  general 
government  and  put  afloat  by  the  farmers  in  all  parts 
of  the  Union  most  distant  from  the  homes  of  the 
persons  issuing  them  (as  bank  notes  are)  they  would 
never  come  back  to  the  farmers  for  redemption  any 
more  than  bank  notes  come  back  to  bankers  for  re 
demption.  Let  them  float  for  twenty  years  the  same 
as  bank  notes;  then  at  the  end  of  that  time  "re- 
charter"  them  to  float  without  interest  or  redemption 
for  a  second  twenty  years,  and  then  again  for  a  third, 
and  so  on  ad  infi,nitem  same  as  bankers  propose  for 
their  currency,  as  will  be  presently  shown.  Then  might 
we  sing. 

"The  independent  farmer!"  The  farmer  would  be 
king.  He  ought  to  be.  Agriculture  should  be  foster 
ed  by  legislation.  It  is  the  supreme  interest.  But.  it 
appears  that  the  farmers,  in  this  rich  and  productive 
country,  have  become  the  abject  slaves  of  gold  mono 
polists  of  the  old  world  reduced  to  this  condition  by 
the  financial  policy  of  our  government  foreign  bond- 
owners  dictating  the  laws— British  oligarchy  govern 
ing  America. 

But  President  Garfield  asks  congress  to  do  some 
thing  for  the  farmers  of  our  country.  "The  interests 
of  agriculture"  he  says  in  his  inaugural  address,  de 
serve  more  attention  from  government  than  they  have 
yet  received.  The  farms  of  the  United  States  afford 
homes  and  employment  for  more  than  one  half  our 
people  and  furnish  much  the  largest  part  of  all  our 
exports.  As  the  government  lights  our  coasts  for  the 
protection  of  mariners  and  the  benefit  of  our  com 
merce,  so  it  should  giv,e  to  the  tillers  of  the  soil  the 
ttffhts  of  practical  science  and  experience!  Money  is 
of  supreme  interest  to  American  farmers  as  well  as  to 
foreign  owners  of  American  bonds.  Give  our  farmers. 


APPENDIX.  23 

the  same  benefits  of  financial  legislation  as  are  given 
by  our  government  to  the  British  owners  of  our  bonds, 
(or  a  tithe  of  those  benefits)  and  our  farmers  could 
then  hold  their  grain,  pork  and  beef  in  spite  of  Eu 
ropean  combinations,  and  America  could  set  her  own 
prices  on  her  own  products.  Europe  would  be  com 
pelled  to  get  down  on  her  knees  to  us,  since  the  old 
world  must  have  these  products  or  starve.  The  new 
must  feed  the  old,  worn-out  world.  Which  ought  to 
be  king,  bread  or  gold  V  Which  is  of  greater  impor 
tance  to  mankind?  When  we  need  gold  it  hides,  as 
during  our  war.  When  we  do  not  need  it  'tis  forced 
on  us,  as  torday.  Ought  gold  fix  the  price  of  bread,  or 
bread  fix  the  price  of  gold  ?  Let  gold  fix  the  price  of 
bread,  we  are  slaves.  Let  bread  fix  the  price  of  gold, 
we  are  freemen,  Right  here  lies  the  heart  of  the  issue 
between  hard  money  and  soft— between  gold  aud 
greenbacks.  The  man  that  stands  over  me  and  says 
what  I  shall  have  and  must  accept  for  my  products 
and  my  work  is  my  master  and  I  his  slave.  America 
is  the  slave  of  England  because  of  specie  basis.  Gold 
means  our  enslavement;  greenbacks  our  freedom  and 
independence.  With  legal-tender  paper  money  filling' 
all  the  channels  of  business  here  Europe  has  nothing 
that  America  is  obliged  to  buy.  This  accounts  for 
the  great  interest  John  Bull  takes  in  American  mo 
netary  affairs,  The  greenback  is  our  second  Declara 
tion  of  Independence.  Let  us  defend  and  perpetuate 
it  with  "our  lives,  our  fortunes  and  our  sacred  honor" 
if  need  be.  "Independence  now;  independence  for 
ever,"  being  the  sentiment  of  every  true  patriot  heart 
as  it  was  the  "living  sentiment  and  the  dying  senti 
ment  of  John  Adams.  If  the  old  world  were  to  sink 
under  the  sea  a  thousand  fathoms  deep  it  would  not 
make  a  ripple  on  the  placid  ocean  of  our  prosperity 
if  we  cut  loose  from  gold.  We  can  live  and  prosper 
conquering  a  gigantic  rebellion  while  gold  hides  its 
infamous  head.  But  for  our  government  to  legislate 
value  right  out  ot  our  lands,  labor  and  products  and 
legislate  that  value  right  into  British  gold  right  out 
of  everything  we  do  possess  and  right  into  the  very 
thing  (gold)  we  do  not  possess,  and  even  threatening, 
at  the  same  time  to  destroy  the  Lincoln  greenback, 
the  savior  of  our  natior/s  life,  the  source  of  our  pros 
perity,  "a  present  help  in  every  time  of  need,"  and 
then  buying  gold  bullion  of  the  foreigner  with  interest- 
bearing  bonds  and  returning  to  the  bondowner,  gratis, 


24  APPENDIX. 

ninety  per  cent  of  the  face  value  of  these  bonds  in 
tax-paying,  debt-paying  "money  better  than  gold  it 
self,  because  more  convenient,  and  making  gold  the 
"measure  of  all  values"  here — is  not  this  getting 
down  voluntarily  on  our  knees  to  Europe  ?  Who  is 
the  Benedict  Arnold  that  has  thus  surrendered  pur 
country,  to  the  foreign  enemy?  British  capitalists 
cornering  the  gold  and  controlling  the  amount  of 
money  in  our  country,  both  specie  and  paper,  do  now 
even  to-day,  fix  the  prices  of  our  products,  lands  and 
labor,  holding  us  as  dependents  and  slaves.  Is  any 
man  so  blinded  by  party  spirit  he  does  not  see  this  ? 

€an  any  man  fail  to  see  that  all  the  millions  of  dol 
lars  paid  by  the  people  of  this  country  to  money  lend 
ers  for  interest  would  be  saved  to  the  American  pro 
ducers  if  the  government  gave  the  same  favorable  en- 
>dorsement  to  well-secured,  non-interest-bearing  notes 
>of  farmers,  manufacturers,  merchants,  mechanics  and 
laborers  as  it  does  to  the  non-interest  bearing  notes  of 
bond-owners?  Bank  notes  (so  called)  perform  the 
functions  of  money;  so  would  these  as  well  under  a 
system  that  could  be  made  plain  and  practical  in  a 
bill  not  half  so  long  and  intricate  as  the  national  bank 
act — which  was  made  so  on  purpose,  no  doubt,  to  de 
ceive  the  people  whom  it  was  desired  to  defraud  and 
rob. 

Bank  bills  are  recognized  as  "money*'  by  tbe  laws- 
then  they  are  given  as  a  bonus  to  bond-owners  for 
twenty  years — the  length  of  time  their  bank  charters 
last.  At  the  expiration  of  the  first  twenty  years,  if 
the  bondowners  still  control  the  government  as  they 
do  now,  the  charters  will  be  renewed  for  another  pe 
riod  of  twenty  years  and,  at  the  end  of  that  time, 
again  for  another  period  of  twenty  years,  and  thus  on 
and  on  inperpetuo,  a  debt  Avithout  interest  never  to 
be  paid  as  long  as  foreign  bullion  owners  and  na 
tional  bankers  control  our  government  and  the  na 
tional  banking  law  remains  unrepealed — stolen  prop 
erty  to  be  held  until  the  people  recover  it  from  the 
thieves. 

Besides  the  350  million  dollar  steal,  the  national 
bankers  have  received  from  our  government  in  inter 
est  on  the  400  million  dollars,  bonds,  the  "basis"  of 
the  banking  fraud  20  million  dollars  per  annum, 
amounting  in  twenty  y  -,ars  to  4CO  million  dollars,  a 
sum  that  would  have  been  saved  to  American  pro 
ducers,  if  the  bonds  had  been  "cut  up  in  little  bits  of 


APPENDIX.  25 

paper"  and  put  afloat  as  greenbacks.  Not  only  would 
the  400  million  dollars  interest  have  been  thus  saved, 
but  the  400  million  dollars  bonded  debt,  also,  floating 
among  our  people  as  greenbacks  would  have  been  a 
perpetual  blessing — not  a  debt  to  be  paid  but  an  in 
strument  to  promote  the  prosperity  of  our  country 
forever. 

The  American  people  have  lost  then  in  twenty  years 
through  the  national  banking  swindle 

Interest  on  5  per  cent  bonds $100,000,000 

Bonds 400,000,000 

Paper  money  gratuity 350,000,000 

Total $1,150,000,000 

All  this  vast  sum  has  been  worse  than  thro\yii  away 
— enriching  as  it  does  the  few,  increasing  their  power 
to  oppress  the  people  and  corrupt  the  officials  of  gov 
ernment  and  impoverishing  the  many  innocent  vic 
tims. 

Let  us  look  at  the  loss  already  figured  in  round 
numbers  far  below  the  aggregate  as  the  figures  before 
given  do  not  include  the  28  million  dollars  annnal  in 
terest  paid  by  the  people  to  the  banks  for  the  privil 
ege  of  using  bank  notes  as  money.  The  figures  should 
show: 

Bonus  paid  on  gold  deposit  fraud $    210,000,000 

Bonds  for  said  sham 175,000,000 

Silver  swindle  to  displace  fraction  pa 
per  currency  for  20  years 175,000,000 

National  bank  swindle 1,150,000,000 

Add  20  years  int.  paid  for  bank  notes  8 
per  cent 560,000,000 


Gives  total " $2,270,000,000 

But  the  national  banks  made  not  less  than  forty  per 
cent  profit  in  purchasing  the  bonds  at  a  discount  with 
depreciated  greenbacks  in  the  beginning.  Forty  per 
cent  of  400  million  dollars  equals  160  million  dollars. 
Thus  have  the  people  of  the  United  States  been  gulled 
out  of  2,430  million  dollars,  a  sum  vastly  larger  than 
the  indemnity  levied  by  Germany  upon  France  at  the 
close  of  the  Franco-Prussian  war  (and  these  figures 
show  but  a  tithe  of  the  loss  to  our  industries  already, 
by  this  baneful  foreign  system  of  finance)  robbed  of 
this  vast  amount  by  the  European  Eothchilds  and 
their  agents,  the  national  banking  syndicate  that 
holds  its  annual  congress  at  Saratoga  New  York,  the 


26  APPENDIX. 

United  States  government  enforcing  their  robber  de 
crees. 

Do  not  the  national  bankers  pay  taxes  ?  Not  a  tithe 
of  what  producers  pay— not  a  hundredth  part  of  what 
is  given  them  as  a  gratuity  by  the  government  do  the 
national  bankers  ever  return  to  the  federal  treasury. 
''One  per  cent  of  their  issue"  pays  not  the  printing  of 
their  bills  and  bonds — costing  the  national  banker  not 
so  much  to  issue  his  notes  as  money  as  it  does  a  coun 
terfeiter  to  print  counterfeit  bills. 

If  national  banking  is  so  profitable  why  do  private 
banks  exist  ? 

Because  private  banking  has  some  advantages 
over  national  banking  for  men  of  moderate  capital: 

1st.  The  private  banker  has  the  lone  and  sole  man 
agement  of  his  business. 

2d.  The  private  banker  has  the  benefit  of  all  de 
posits,  discounts,  etc.,  and  has  not  to  share  profits 
with  associates  in  business  as  in  national  banking, 
where  "the  big  fish  eat  up  the  little  fish." 

When  a  national  bank  breaks  is  it  not  compelled  to 
redeem  its  notes  V  If  finally  for  any  cause  a  national 
bank  is  compelled  to  surrender  its  charter  (these  banks 
never  do  or  can  break  unless  in  stock  gambling  or 
other  outside  speculations  foreign  to  the  banking  bus 
iness,)  the  government  redeems  the  outstanding  bank 
notes  in  gold  bought  of  John  Bull  with  interest- 
bearing  bonds,  thus  making  our  bond  system  perpet 
ual,  and  repays  the  bank  every  dollar  it  has  ever 
really  paid  for  the  bond— ten  per  cent  of  its  face  val 
ue.  When  banks  "retire  their  circulation"  they  only 
exchange  with  the  government  paper  money  for  gold 
paid  finally  on  the  bond,  In  short  the  national  bank 
ing  system  is  the  climax  of  fraud  and  wrong,  the 
fruitful  source  of  corruption  and  betrayal  of  public 
trusts.  The  national  bank  and  railroad  corporations 
now  control  two  branches  of  the  federal  government 
—the  legislative  and  executive.  The  judicial  branch 
of  the  government  will  be  a  pliant  tool  in  their  hands 
before  1884  ;  for  the  new  judges  will  be  of  their  choos 
ing — e.  g. — Stanley  Mathews  I 

III— BOND-AND-NOTE-AND-MORTGAQE  -  INFLATION- 
FRAUD. 

The  people  are  taught  by  the  capitaltsts  through  the 
bough t-up  newspaper  press  that  "an  inflation  of 


APPENDIX.  27 

greenbacks  is  a  great  evil."  On  the  contrary,  the  exact 
truth  is,  such  an  inflation  operates  as  a  bankrupt  law 
to  free  the  multitude  of  laborers  and  producing  men 
from  debt — a  great  public  blessing.  But  there  is,  in 
deed,  an  inflation  that  is  a  woeful  curse  to  our  coun 
try—an  inflation  of  bonds,  notes  and  mortgages  in  the 
pockets  of  money-lenders.  Such  an  inflation,  has  un 
fortunately  fallen  upon  our  fair  land  to-day— a  blight 
upon  all  legitimate  business— the  death  and  destruc 
tion  of  all  prosperity— a  sweeping  confiscation  of  the 
property  of  the  many  and  its  seizure  by  the  few. 

Money  maybe  made  so  plentiful  (if  issued  by  the 
government  to  the  people  in  general  as  is  now  done 
to  bondowners  in  particular)  as  to  put  all  laboring 
and  producing  men  practically  out  of  debt,  or  it  may 
be  so  contracted  as  to  throw  all  this  class  hopelessly 
into  debt.  The  rule  will  work  both  ways.  We  have- 
seen  its  workings.  Time  was  when  money  was  abun 
dant.  Then  agriculture  and  labor  and  production  of 
all  kinds  was  profitable.  Then  the  laborer  could,  in  a 
little  while,  from  the  profits  of  his  labor  pay  for  a 
comfortable  home.  But  there  came  a  change  with 
contraction  and  resumption  and  an  odious  inflation  of 
notes  and  mortgages  took  place.  Prosperity  now 
poured  in  upou  Tnoney-lenders  and  adversity  over 
whelmed  laborers  and  producing  men.  The  tramp 
was  hatched  out.  Laws  became  oppressive  and  men 
were  imprisoned  for  no  crime  but  that  of  asking  a 
crust  of  bread.  A  standing  army  of  eleven  thousand 
troops — nine  regiments  of  infantry,  one  of  cavalry 
and  one  of  artillery  was  enlisted  for  five  years  in  Iowa. 
What  for  V  To  hasten  the  period  of  "stronger  govern 
ment,"  the  foreclosure  of  mortgages  and  the  transfer 
of  the  landed  property  from  the  hands  of  the  many 
into  the  hands  of  the  few — from  the  people  to  the 
money-lenders. 

When  the  greenbacks  are  "inflated"  the  people 
make  large  profits  from  agriculture — one  or  two  crops- 
often  paying  for  a  good  farm — they  make  large  profits 
from  all  sorts  of  productive  labor.  When  greenbacks 
are  contracted  and  bank  bills,  bonds,  notes  and  mort 
gages  are  inflated,  the  profits  that  before  flowed  to 
the  producers  and  laborers  now  flow  into  the  coffers- 
of  money-lenders.  All  that  labor  has  accumulated 
the  money-lenders  seize  upon  and  pocket.  It  is  only  a 
question  as  to  which  kind  of  inflation  shall  prevail — 
inflation  of  money  in  the  pockets  of  the  people  or  in- 


flation  of  evidences  of  debt  against  the  people  in  the 
pockets  of  usurers?  Withdraw  the  money  and  the 
people  are  overburdened  with  debt.  Says  Mr.  Jones, 
In  his  excellent  book,  "Money  is  Power  :"  "The  effort 
of  credit  to  fill  the  vacuum  caused  by  the  retirement 
of  1,000  million  dollars  from  the  business  world,  ex 
plains  the  mystery  of  the  burden  of  debt  which  has 
pressed  so  hard  upon  the  country."  Under  an  inflation 
•of  nearly  2,000  million  dollars  of  currency  in  the 
pockets  of  the  many  at  the  close  of  the  war,"  the  peo 
ple  rejoiced  ;  now,  under  a  tremendous  inflation  of 
"26,000  million  dollars  bonds,  notes  and  mortgages 
against  the  production  of  the  United  States  in  the 
pockets  of  the  few,  the  people  mourn.  This  estimate 
agrees  with  the  statement  presented  in  the  work  above 
named : 

National  debt $    2,000,000,000 

State,  municipal  and  railroad 4,000,000,000 

Debts  of  630,000  traders,  manufactur 
ers  estimated  by  the  monetary  com- 

sion 13,000,000,000 

Banks,  mining  and  other  companies. .        7,000,000,000 

Total $  26,000,000,000 

Interest  at  only  five  per  cent  becomes  an  annual 
drain  on  our  country's  production  of  1,300  million  dol 
lars,  and  at  eight  per  cent  of  2,080  million  dollars,  re 
quiring  the  labor  of  ten  millions  of  men  at  seventeen 
dollars  and  thirty-three  and  one-third  cents  per  month, 
working  all  the  time,  from  the  beginning  of  the  year 
to  the  end,  in  sunshine  and  storm,  ro  pay  it — the  labor 
of  all  the  voters  of  the  United  States!  If  saved  to 
our  workers  language  would  fail  to  express  the  hap 
piness  it  would  bring  them ;  but  robbed  of  it  what 
misery,  murders,  suicides,  snd  untold  horrors  are  left 
in  its  stead! 

Contraction  of  the  currency  at  the -dictation  and 
command  of  foregn  bullionists  brought  upon  us  this 
immense  load  of  debt.  The  overthrow  of  the  na 
tional  banking  system — the  wiping  out  of  the  bond 
swindle — the  complete  demonetization  of  both  gold 
and  silver— and  the  devotion,  of  American  law-makers 
to  the  interests  of  their  own  country  and  countrymen 
as  they  are  now  devoted  to  the  interests  of  forrign 
bullionists,  would  insure  a  supply  of  "lawful  money" 
(greenbacks)  that  would  free  us  from  the  burden. 
Bankers  and  money-lenders  do  not  object  to  ' "infla 
tion  '  if  it  means  bonds,  notes,  mortgages  and  even 


APPENDIX.  29 

"money"  in  their  pockets.  They  only  object  to  inflation 
in  the  pocksts  of  the  people.  They  feel  precisely  the 
same  interest  in  tli^  people  that  wolves  do  in  sheep. 
In  a  late  number  of  the  New  York  Herald  it  is  pro 
claimed  that  "an  inflation  of  real  money  is  as  injuri 
ous  as  an  inflation  of  sham  money.".  Butbondowners 
do  not  object  to  an  inflation  of  bank  bills.  How  many 
millions  of  dollars  have  been  added  to  bank  note  cir 
culation  since  1879  !  Money  must  flow  out  to  the  peo 
ple  through  the  channels  of  the  banks  and  loan  agen 
cies  not  to  be  "injurious"  in  the  estimation  of  money 
lenders.  Any  amount  of  money  among  the  people, 
got  afloat  on  first  mortgage  loans,  bringing  large  in 
terest  to  the  lenders  and  enslaving  the  borrowers  is 
"healthful."  Otherwise  any  sort  of  money  in  the 
pockets  of  the  people  is  "bad."  Let  the  people  be 
prostrate  at  the  feet  of  the  money  power — as  depend 
ent  on  usurers  for  money  as  a  sucking  calf  is  upon  its 
dam  for  milk  and  all  is  satisfactory  to  the  enemy  in 
his  war  against  greenbacks  and  labor.  The  only 
meaning  of  the  finance  question  then  is:  Who  shall 
govern  America — the  Rothchilds  and  their  agents,  or 
the  American  people?  If  the  people  do  not  control 
the  paramount  interest  of  finance  they  do  not  control 
the  government.  We  cannot  say  ours  is  a  government 
of  the  people,  if  the  most  important  public  interest  is 
under  the  management  and  control  of  an  irresponsi 
ble  few.  Let  us  cease  to  depend  on  the  few  for 
money,  and  the  many  may  hold  and  control  what  they 
produce  by  labor.  Demonetize  gold  and  silver  and  let 
legal  tender  paper  flow  out  from  the  people  to  the  peo 
ple  through  the  government  of  the  people,  and  we 
have  the  highest  blessing  that  can  be  secured — inde 
pendence.  Who  should  have  the  direction  of  the  fin 
ancial  affairs  of  a  farm,  the  owner  of  the  farm  or  the 
irresponsible  hired  hands?  Uncle  Sam  purposes  con 
trolling  and  directing  in  every  respect  the  finances  of 
his  bigf.rm.  The  banks  are  doing  practically  the 
work  of  most  important  public  officials  in  issuing  and 
controlling  the  A'olume  of  the  nation's  currency — a 
most  vital  trust  and  without  being  in  any  way  respon 
sible  to  the  public.  They  are  only  responsible  to  the 
bullion-owners  of  the  Old  World.  Whoever  <  ictates 
the  financial  legi  Nation  of  a  people  is  practically  dic 
tator  of  tint  people.  It  is  through  their  financial  pol 
icy  iilonn  that  '  rtiom  aro  onslnv jd — and  theend  of  all 
enslavement  io  liuancial — th-j  obtaining  the  products 


3o  APPENDIX. 

of  labor  without  giving  the  producers  an  equivalent 
— "wrenching  from  the  hard  hands  of  peasants"  the 
fruits  of  their  sweat  and  toil  by  force  or  by  fraud.  It 
is  fraud  we  have  to  deal  with  now;  butforcei  threat 
ened  and  is  not  far  off— if  the  people  by  vigorous 
thinking,  disinterested,  acting  for  the  public  weal  and 
independent  voting,  do  not  hurl  tyrant  capital  from 
his  throne  and  crown  labor  king.  Everlasting  chains 
and  slavery  are  in  reserve  for  the  people  of  the  Uni 
ted  States — lab  r  mangled,  crushed,  bleeding  and  torn 
— unless  the  engin  that  is  now  plunging  rapidly  on  to 
ward  this  frightful  Ashtabula  is  immediately  re 
versed.  Plainly  then  the  question  is:  "Sha  1  the  peo 
ple  control  this  government  for  the  greatest  good  of 
the  greatest  number,  or  sh  <11  the  money-lenders  con 
trol  it  and  use  it  as  an  engine  of  robbery  and  oppres 
sion  of  the  masses— establishing  on  the  ruins  of  the 
republic  a  stronger  government  of  money  and  bayonets 

THE  CONCLUSION. 

This  momentous  political  crisis  is  forced  upon  us  by 
the  money  power  (stronger  than  the  slave  powrer  of 
old)  involving  all  that  was  at  issue  in  the  revolution 
ary  struggle — the  independence  of  America  and  the 
welfare  of  the  toiling  millions  for  many  decades,  and 
even  centuries,  to  come.  Let  us  know  no  Xorth,  no 
South,  no  East,  no  West,  but  one  united  common 
wealth,  the  toilers  i  f  all  sections,  of  every  color  and 
race,  our  beloved  countrymen,  and  stand  once  more  as 
our  fathers  st  od,  for  the  "inalinable  rights  of  man," 
for  the  preservation  of  popular  liberty  and  equality 
before  it  is  too  late,  before  the  nation  has  passed  be 
yond  the  reach  of  the  patriot  arm  to  save. 

"What  constitutes  a  State? 
Not  high  raised  battlement  and  labored  inonnd 

Thick  wall  and  moated  gate — 
Not  cities  proud  with  spires  and  turrets  crowned; 

Not  ba>  s  and  broad-armed  ports 
Where  laughing  at  the  storm  rich  navies  ride; 

Not  starred  and  spangled  courts 
Where  low-browed  baseness  wafts  perfume  to  pride 

No;  MEN,  high  minded  men, 
With  powers  as  far  above  dull  brutes  endued 

In  forest  break  and  den 
As  beasts  excel  cold  rocks  and  brambles  rude — 

Men  who  their  duties  know 
And  know  tbeir  rights  and  knowing  dare  maintain 

Prevent,  the  long-aimed  blow 
And  crush  the  tyrant  while  they  rend  the  chain,— 

These  constitute  a  state 
And  sovereign  law  thai  state's  collected  will 

Orer  thrones  and  globes  elate 
Bits  empress  crowning  good,  repressing  ill.1 


PART  II.— THE  TRIUMPH  OF  LABOR— 
A  GLANCE  FROM  1876  TO  1976. 


A  CENTENNIAL  LECTURE  WRITTEN  IN   1876. 


1876  finds  our  country  overwh.  Imed  with  debt— im 
poverished  by  bad  legislation— the  government  cor 
rupt,  and  a  dread  apprehension  on  the  minds  of  the 
people  of  further  betrayal  by  officials  in  high  peaces. 
But  the  people  are  true — the  love  of  liberty  is  not 
dead — is  not  extinguished  in  the  minds  of  the  labor 
ers  of  our  country.  The  reaction  towards  aristocracy 
and  despotism,  that  has  taken  place,  will  be  but  tem 
porary. 

"Freedom's  battle  once  begun 
Bequeathed  from  bleeding  sire   o  son, 
T  ough  often  baffled 's  ever  won." 

The  battle  begun  by  our  fathers  for  human  equality 
will  continue.  Let  me,  then,  recount  the  real  glories 
of  to-day  and  anticipate  the  good  in  store  for  us,  and 
the  world  that  the  coming  century  will  bring. 

One  hundred  years  ago  who  could  anticipate  the 
progress  of  to-day  V  The  progress  of  the  century  has 
been  mainly  in  the  direction  of  mechanical  inventions. 
Old  times  produced  greater  poets;  greater  orators; 
greater  painters;  greater  sculptors;  greater  architects 
--but  in  the  direction  of  labor-saving  inventions,  the 
century  has  leaped  forward  a  thousand  years— has 
eclipsed  all  the  past.  Thus  man  has  grown  to  be  a 
giant  in  physical  strength— and  the  world  must  soon 
be  subdued,  and  th  rough  places  made  smoo4h—  the 
hills  brought  low.  Soon  there  will  be  no  desert  pla 
ces — no  b.irren  regions.  Nor  is  this  imaginary,  Sa- 
harah  is  an  ancient  sea-bottom  and  rich— wanting 
only  watT  to  be  extremely  fertile.  By  boring  a  few 
hundrcu  :'^et  in  dep.h,  it  is  said,  we  strike  abundance 


32  APPENDIX. 

of  water  below  the  sea  level— filtered  into  and  through 
porous  rocks — and  the  average  cost  of  an  artesian 
well  that  raises  four  hundred  gallons  of  water  per  min 
ute  is  fifteen  hundred  dollars.  Jn  such  a  climate  as 
that  of  Northern  Africa,  where  two  crops  a  year  may 
be  produced — a  land  of  dates  and  figs  and  olives — by 
turning  the  money  expended  in  guns  and  munitions 
of  war  and  feeding  and  clothing  the  three  millions  of 
European  soldiers  in  arms  to-day,  and  their  labor, 
also,  in  the  direction  Of  subduing  the  desert — how 
long  before  it  wouM  be  reclaimed  and  grand  cities  be 
seen  where  all  was  once  desolation  and  drifting  sands 
— and  Saharah  smile  and  blossom  as  the  rose  and 
fields  of  bright  grain  cover  the  plains  from  Morocco 
to  Soudan  ?  There  is  not  a  spot  of  earth  but  will  one 
day  afford  a  happy  dwelling  place  for  man,  while  the 
ocean  itself  will  be  crowded  with  floating  palaces,  the 
homes  of  myriad  sons  and  daughters  of  the  sea.  Man 
will  be  master  of  the  physical  elements.  He  will  not 
longer  look  up  to  the  clouds  for  rain  and  sit  trembling 
fearful  of  drouth  and  famine.  Machinery  will  water 
the  farms— the  moisture  will  be  lifted  from  below. 
Man  will  be  supreme  on  earth  and  may  proclaim 

"I  am  monarch  of  all  I  survey. 

I  have  tamed  the  lightning;  the  deep  is  obedient  to 
me:  earth  serves  me;  ^Nature  bows  before  me  and 
pours  out  her  treasures  at  my  feet  unfailingly." 

The  physical  world  is  an. exact  mirror  of  the  world 
of  mind.  Observe  the  wilderness  of  nature — the  bar 
ren  deserts  unreclaimed,  and  you  see  a  true  picture  of 
the  human  mind  that  (as  the  world  shall  be  redeemed 
to  culture  and  beautiful  gardens  bloom  where  now 
thorns  and  briars  only  grow)  shall  also  put  on  her  gar 
ments  of  love — and  selfish  cease  to  prey  upon  the 
weak,  as  the  lion  upon  the  lamb — but  we  may  hope 
for  the  fulfillment  of  the  prophesy  that  the  lion  and 
lamb  shall  lie  down  together  and  a  little  child  shall 
lead  them.  I  want  to  believe  that  the  coming  cen 
tury  will  see  selfishness  dethroned. 

I  do  not  expect  that  greater  inventions  than  steam 
navigation  and  the  magnetic  telegraph  will  ever  be 
made,  for  there  evidently  is  a  limit  in  the  direction  of 
great  inventions.  During  the  next  hundred  years, 
what  is  already  found  out  and  is  now  rudely  put  in 
operation,  will  be  so  perfected  that  the  resources  of 
the  earth  will  be  brought  forth  for  the  use  of  men 
with  far  less  physical  labor  than  now— the  unification 


APPENDIX.  *  33 

of  the  world  realized — no  important  city  or  place  on 
earth  remaining  isolated — all  joined  together  by  rail 
roads  and  telegraphs— mankind  one  family  of  love- 
Africa  redeemed — the  whistle  of  the  locomotive  heard 
on  the  shores  of  Lake  Nyanza — manners,  customs  and 
-institutions  of  all  nations  conformed  to  the  Christian 
law  of  love — and  the  people  have  gained  the  mastery' 
over  all  governments — a  general  disarmament  be 
brought  about — all  disputes  between  nations  settled 
by  a  world's  congress — a  union  of  all  effected — the 
proudest  banner  that  shall  wave  from  the  dome  of  the 
centennial  building  at  Philadelphia — the  city  of  broth 
erly  love— in  the  year  1976,  will  be,  I  trust,  the  flag  of 
the  UNITED  STATES  OF  THE  WORLD. 

It  is  the  idea  of  the  equality  of  men  that  is  working' 
in  modern  history  for  the  emancipation  of  labor  and 
the  redemption  of  the  world  from  the  domination  of" 
kings,  of  wealth  and  of  priestly  ppwer.  May  we  not 
anticipate  the  overthrow  of  all  kingly  governments 
in  Europe  ere  the  next  centennial  ?  There  will  then 
be  a  disbandment  of  her  armies.  The  people,  entirely 
free,  will  vote  to  maintain  no  standing  armies.  The 
word  "reciprocity"  will  be  emblazoned  on  the  world's 
banner — "Do  unto  all  as  we  would  have  them  do  unto 
us."  Peace  is  to  the  interest  of  the  people — the  few 
reap  advantage  from  wars.  The  few  who  reaped 
material  advantage  from  the  war  of  '61  are  our  mil 
lionaires  of  to-day,  who  send  agents  to  congress  to  con 
trol  legislation  by  bribery  and  corruption.  The  peo 
ple  enlightened  will  never  go  to  war.  The  republics 
of  Greece  and  Rome  were  warlike;  the  free  bands 
of  Indians  inhabiting  America  were  engaged  in  con 
tinual  wars ;  yet  I  maintain  that  no  enlightened  Chris 
tian  people  will  engage  in  aggressive  war.  As  soon 
as  the  fundamental  Christian  law  "Love  thy  fellow- 
man  as  thyself"  has  been  crystal! zed  in  the  customs, 
laws  and  institutions  and  governments  of  all  Christian 
nations,  wars  must  cease.  This  idea  of  the  supremacy 
of  the  law  of  love  was  not  fully  accepted  among  even 
the  most  highly  cultured  of  the  nations  of  old;  but 
all  European  nations  now  believe  it  to  be  the  bounder* 
duty  of  ma  i  in  his  relations  to  his  fellow-man,  to  en 
tertain  the  same  affection  for  him  as  for  himself. 
Though  this  is  universally  admitted  by  Christian  peo 
ples,  yet  the  idea  has  not  been  crystalized  in  institu 
tions,  laws,  and  governments  very  generally;  but,  on 

3* 


34  APPktoDIX. 

the  contrary,  the  cornerstone  of  al  1  seems  t  obese  T/zsft- 
ness.  It  is  true,  corporations  have  been  instituted  for 
benevolent  purposes  and  for  mutual  aid.  Hospitals 
i'or  foundlings  and  for  orphans  have  been  established 
by  these  corporations  and  by  individuals — sisters  of 
charity  sent  to  nurse  the  sick — and  there  are  Free  Ma 
son  and  Odd  Fellow  fraternities.  !Ncw  we  are  be 
ginning  to  have  stale  asylums  for  the  blind,  the  deaf, 
the  insane,  etc., — and  we  have  Soldiers'  Orphans' 
Homes  supported  by  the  state.  But  the  great  advance 
of  i  he  coming  century  will  be  in  this  direction.  All 
destitute  and  orphan  children  will  be  gathered  into  the 
arms  of  the  loving  commonwealth.  The  youth  must 
be  cared  for  and  properly  educated  before  crime  can 
l>e  put  an  end  to.  As  long  as  the  cities  are  full  of  lit 
tle  ragged  street  Arabs  sleeping  in  goods-boxes  by 
night  and  running  uncontrolled  by  day,  under  no 
guardianship  of  fatherly  hands — with  no  wholesome 
food  to  eat;  no  good  books  to  read;  no  schoolmasters 
to  instruct  them — just  so  long  will  the  prisons  be 
crowded  with  criminals.  May  we  not  hope  that  be 
fore  the  next  centennial  pleasant  homes  will  be  pro 
vided  for  all  destitute  and  orphan  children  V 

Go  with  me  to  a  beautiful  village  in  Iowa  in  the 
year  1976.  This  town  belongs  to  men  who  have  been 
•convicted  of  crime,  and  are  here  put  under  guardian- 
chip,  as  if  they  were  children — and  are  given  work 
to  do  and  wages  for  doing  it.  They  work  a  part  of 
the  day  and  another  part  they  devote  to  mental  cult 
ure.  The  state  aims  only  to  build  np  those  men  into 
:good  citizens  worthy  of  freedom,  and  resorts  to  kindly 
means  for  the  acomplishment  of  this  purpose.  This 
penitentiary  is  a  reform  school,  nor  are  the  convicts 
suojected  to  any  harsh  usage.  They  are,  it  is  true, 
deprived  of  liberty,  dear  to  every  man,  are  declared 
""minors  in  law"  and  are  kept  under  restraint;  but 
they  are  surrounded  by  elevating  and  reformatory  in 
fluences.  It  is  the  aini  of  the  state  to  teach  them  self- 
respect.  They  are,  therefore,  shown  the  utmost  kind 
ness.  Society  is  thus  protected  and  the  vicious  class 
given  honorable  employment  and  are  compelled  to 
-earn  their  living  by  honest  labor.  There  is  no  discom 
fort  here.  The  inmates  of  this  reform  institution  con 
verse  with  each  other  and  are  as  free  as  hired  laborers 
to-day.  Indeed  this  village  is  an  asylum  for  the  mor 
ally  weak,  where  they  resort  to  be  strengthened — are- 
treat,  a  home.  Punishments  have  been  abolished. 


APPENDIX.  35 

The  state  I  claim  has  no  right  to  punish  men  for 
crime;  but  only  the  right  to  bring  them  under  guar 
dianship  and  restraint;  the  right  to  settle  them  in » jie 
spot,  depriving  them  of  the  liberty  of  emigration  and 
there  giving  them  remunerative  employment  and 
teachers  and  books  and  hope  and  courage  and  ambition 
and  public  spirit. 

The  "signs  of  the  times"  point,  also,  to  the  speedy 
overthrow,  even  in  Great  Britiain,  of  that  accursed 
institution,  land  monopoly,  the  most  unjust  and  op- 

Eressive  monopoly  that  has  descended  to  us  from  the 
arbarous  age.  It  is  the  essential  evil.  Remove  this 
and  all  other  forms  of  oppression  die.  Conceive  of  a 
State  in  which  no  man  is  allowed,  by  the  laws  or  cus 
toms  or  institutions  of  society,  to  own  more  land  than 
a  convenient  homestead,  more  than  will  yield  him 
subsistence  by  being  carefully  tilled  by  his  own  hands, 
more  than,  say  forty,  eighty  or  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  productive  land;  and  you  at  once  have  before 
your  mind  a  society  of  equals,  a  society  in  which  pov 
erty  is  unknown,  in  which  luxury  is  unknown  and  its 
consequent  immorality  and  enervation  of  mind  and 
body,  a  hardy  race  of  freedom-loving  men  and  women 
as  in  Switzerland. 

What  obstacles  are  in  the  way  of  the  removal  of  this 
monopoly  to-day  ?  None  whatever.  It  is  altogether 
in  the  hands  of  the  state.  It  is  a  monopoly  sustained 
only  by  law,  and  that,  too,  unjusthiw.  It  is  sustained 
through  no  principle  of  right,  but  only  by  unrighteous 
ness  and  barbarity.  These  beautiful  plains  are  the 
common  inheritance  of  all.  Through  untold  ages  the 
soil  has  been  accumulating  its  productiveness  for  the 
benefit  of  man.  This  inheritance  belongs  to  nil  alike, 
as  the  water  and  the  air.  Embrace,  O,  Common  wealth, 
in  thy  protecting  arms  these  lands  as  homesteads  for 
thy  children!  Save  them  from  being  seized  upon  by 
robbers,  as  in  Europe! 

John  Stuart  Mill  says:  "When  the  sacredness  of 
property  is  talked  of  it  should  always  be  remembered 
that  this  sacredness  does  not  belong  in  the  same  de 
gree  to  landed  property.  No  man  made  the  land;  it  is 
the  original  inheritance  of  all  the  species.  *  *  If  the 
State  is  at  liberty  to  treat  the  possessors  of  land  as 
public  functionaries,  it  is  only  going  one  step  further 
to  say  it  is  at  liberty  to  discard  them.  The  claim  of 
the  land  owners,  is  altogether  subordinate  to  the  gen 
eral  policy  of  the  State.  The  principle  of  property 


36  APPENDJX. 

gives  them  no  rigkt  to  the  land ;  but  only  right  to  com 
pensation  for  whatever  portion  of  i  heir  interest  in  the 
land  it  may  be  the  policy  of  the  State  to  deprive  them, 
of." 

He  lurthersays  :  "War  among  nations  and  discord 
among  individuals  grow  with  the  growth  of  monopo 
ly  in  land.  Che  more  perfect  its  consolidation  the 
greater  must  be  the  inequalities  of  society,  and  the 
more  must  those  who  labor  be  made  to  suffer  in  the 
distribution  between  the  people  and  the  State." 

The  time  will  come,  and  that  speedily,  I  sincerely 
hope  and  trust,  when  the  laws  will  not  be  partial — 
will  not  confer  upon  men  the  license  to  seize  upon  and 
hold  what  is  not  theirs  by  natural  right.  "Land,"  as 
Mill  says,  "is  the  original  inheritance  of  the  whole 
species."  By  what  right  may  a  few  seize  upon  this 
inheritance  of  all  ?  By  the  ancient  law  of  barbarity — 
the  law  of  force.  This  law  must  be  done  away.. 
EIGHT  must  rule.  The  natural  rights  of  man,  must 
be  ent'oroed  by  the  laws.  Let  the  few  hold  their  mil 
lions  of  gold  and  silver,  and  Countless  diamonds  and 
rubies  and  pearls.  We  want  none  of  these.  They  are 
baubles — play-things  for  children.  But  let  these  rich 
people  own  no  more  land  than  other  men;  take  noth 
ing  from  them,  but  pay  them  for  their  surplus  land 
in  money — as  the  people  before  the  Rebellion  would 
have  been  willing  to  pay  the  slave-lords  for  their 
slaves.  Yet  it  is  a  serious  question  whether  it  is 
just  to  pay  a  man  for  that  which  he  has  no  right  to. 
And  what  right  had  the  slave-master  to  his  slave?— 
and  what  right  has  any  man  to  a  monopoly  of  the 
land  ? 

Can  human  law  give  one  a  right  to  wrhat  is  not  his 
by  divine  law  ?  The  vast  mine  of  wealth  opened  to 
the  world  by  machinery  belongs  to  all  mankind. 
The  advantages  and  benefits  of  all  inventions  should 
be  made  general— should  shorten  the  hours  of  labor 
for  every  man,  woman  and  child,  until  the  amount 
of  exertion  necessary  for  subsistence  wrould  be  but 
slight.  The  strife  among  men  then  v\  ill  be  not  for 
Avealth,  bnt  for  intellectual  grandeur;  for  building  up 
the  Angelic  in  man;  for  calling  out  the  immortal 
beauties  of  mind  and  skill.  The  reward  fame — re 
nown.  T  e  grandest  man  will  be  he  who  has  devel- 
opsd  the  grandest  soul;  the  loftiest  mind;  the  noblest 
heart — who  has  devised  the  greatest  good  for  his 
neighbors— instituted  the  best  schools— the  most  com- 


APPENDIX.  37 

fortable  homes  for  orphans  and  widows,  and  the  aged 
•and  the  helpless — has  been  the  greatest  benefactor  of 
his  race.  This,  then,  is  the  problem  for  legislation  to 
'solve:  How  may  the  surplus  wealth  of  the  earth, 
produced  in  such  abundance  by  human  skill  and  in 
ventions,  be  prevented  from  being  taken  possession  of 
l3y  the  few — how  may  it  be  distributed  through  the 
arteries  of  society  for  the  benifit  of  all?  This  prob 
lem  will,  I  trust,  be  solved  before  the  centennial  of 
1976.  Millions  will  not  then  be  calling  for  employ 
ment  and  bread.  All  men  will  belong  to  the  laboring 
class  then.  The  class  that  now  lives  above  manual 
labor  will  be  abolished.  Every  man  will  be  compelled 
•to  earn  his  living  who  is  physically  able.  That  there 
is  a  fixed  purpose  in  the  minds  of  the  producers  to 
"bring  about  this  reform  is  manifest  from  the  follow 
ing  article  of  the  platform  adopted  by  the  farmers 
and  working  men  in  convention  at  Indianapolis,  In 
diana,  June  10,  1874.  They  say: 

"We  hold  that  all  able-bodied,  intelligent  persons 
should  contribute  to  the  common  stock,  by  useful  in 
dustry,  a  sum  or  quantity  equal  to  their  own  support, 
and  legislation  should  tend,  as  far  as  possible,  to  the 
equitable  distributation  of  surplus  products." 

Manufactories  are  public  servants;  but  under  the 
present  system  of  monopolies  the  servant  is  the  mas 
ter.  A  mill  is  built  with  private  capital.  The  miller, 
for  sixty  pounds  of  wheat,  gives  thirty  pounds  of 
flour,  keeping  one-half  the  weight  of  the  grain. 
Would  any  one  contend  that  it  were  good  policy  to  al 
low  horses  and  oxen,  sheep  and  hogs  to  pasture  on  the 
grain-fields?  How  much  would  be  trampled  under 
foot  and  wasted  if  the  farmer  did  not  reap  and  thresh 
his  grain  and  give  to  each  of  his  dumb  servants  a  due 
portion;  but  let  them  range  at  will  through  the  fields. 
The  mills,  factories,  railroads,etc.,  are  public  servants, 
just  as  horses  and  cattle  are  for  the  service  of  men. 
But  the  people  do  not  as  yet  say  what  the  mills,  fac 
tories,  railroads,  etc.,  shall  be  fed;  but  literally  turn 
them  out  loose  into  their  fields  to  destroy,  waste  and 
trample  down  the  grain,  having  gorged  themselves  un 
til  their  sides  are  swollen  out  to  an  undue  bigness. 

Co-operation  is  the  remedy— each  individual  con 
tributing  a  small  portion  to  a  general  fund,  and  this 
general  fund  be  the  feeder,  or  moving  force  of  all 
manufacturing,  mining,  banking,  commercial,  trans 
portation,  and  all  other  interests  now  controlled  by 


38  APPENDIX. 

private  capital.  How  will  this  fund  be  raised  ?  In 
just  the  same  manner  as  the  school  fund  is  raised.  A 
tax  is  levied  upon  the  property  gf  a  neighborhood  to 
build  a  school'  house.  In  like  manner  let  a  tax  be 
levied  to  build  mills,  factories,  etc.  (Already  rail 
roads  are  built  in  this  way;  but  the  people  who  build 
them  do  not  own  or  control  them,  but  give  them  a 
bonus  to  private  corporations  for  private  profit.)  Take 
(for  example)  four  townships  embracing  a  section  of 
country  twelve  miles  square  and  contrining  144  square 
miles.  Each  square  mile  (if  there  was  no  waste  land) 
might  include  eight  farms  of  eighty  acres  each  or 
1,152  farms  in  all.  Each  farm  paying  twenty  dollars 
tax  would  give  a  fund  of  $23,040,  which  would  build  a 
good  flouring  mill,  or  a  woolen  manufactory;  or  a 
plow  and  machine  shop;  or  a  grain  elevator;  or  a  pork- 
packing  establishment.  One  hundred  dollars  tax  on 
on  each  eighty  in  a  section  of  twelve  miles  square 
would  build  all  these  and  (I  would  add)  a  narrow 
guage  railroad  besides  across  the  section. 

It  is  by  individuals  and  private  corporations  con 
trolling  tuese  necessary  interests  that  wealth  concen 
trates  in  the  hands  of  the  few,  and  millionaires  are 
evolved  among  us  and  swim  in  the  midst  of  Ameri 
can  society,  as  did  the  prehistoric  monster  reptiles 
among  the  smaller  fishes,  devouring  them  at  pleasure. 
But  if  the  state  or  people  become  the  master  or  owner 
of  all  public  establishments,  railroads,etc.,  the  wealth 
will  remain  with  the  laboring  classes  that  produce  it, 
and  equality  be  preserved.  All  are  created  equal,  and 
that  equality  should  be  enforced  and  maintained.  All 
should  work,  and  all  should  enjoy  the  fruits  of  their 
labor.  Machinery  will  have  become  such  a  vast  help 
in  producing  suilicient  for  all,  that  each  man  will 
need  to  labor  but  a  small  part  of  IMS  time.  Three 
hours  will  be  a  day's  work.  Books  and  study  and 
mental  culture,  and  "  to  do  good  "  the  chief  end  and 
aim  and  religion  and  ambition  of  universal  man.  All 
nature  will  be  subject  to  man,  and  man  subject  to  the 
law  of  God.  The  community  will  enforce  this  law. 
The  few  that  would  seize  upon  and  hold  the  surplus 
wealth  of  the  world  by  force— that  is,  by  what  is 
termed  "legal  right"— the  same  right  by  which  the 
slave-lords  held  their  four  millions  of  blacks  in  bond 
age,  these  few  will  have  to  allow  the  commonwealth 
to  hold  what  justly  belongs  to  the  commonwealth— 
the  surplus  products  of  labor— will  have  to  conform 


APPENDIX.  39 

to  the  law  of  God,  unjust  "  legal  right"  being  taken 
away,  as  has  been  the  right  to  hold  slaves  in  our 
country. 

Are  not  private  corporations  more  injurious  than: 
benefici al  to  thfc  public?  Are  not  all  European  na 
tions  to-day  combatting  the  giant  corporation  known 
as  the  church?  Has  it  not  bound  in  fetters  of  iron 
and  trodden  down  the  weak  for  a  thousand  years  ?  It 
was  instituted  for  a  benevolent  purpose — to  save  men 
from  sin— to  do  the  highest  and  holiest  work.  If  the 
church,  as  a  political  corporation,  has  proven  the 
greatest  enemy  of  men,  why  should  not  the  people 
look  with  distrust  upon  all  close  corporations  that 
they  cannot  directly  control?  Railroad,  insurance, 
and  banking  corporations  exercise  vast  influence  for 
evil.  The  soul  object  of  their  management  is  the  ac 
cumulation  of  wealth— not  the  public  good— and  the 
public  suffers  in  proportion,  as  they  are  uncontrolled 
by  legislation;  and  those  corporations  exert  vast  in 
fluence  over  legislation.  For  instance,  we  adopted 
England's  money-order  system.  Why,  have  we  not 
adopted  her  system  of  Postal  Savings  Banks  ?  Presi 
dent  Grant  advised  Congress  to  adopt  this  other  ex 
cellent  reform ;  but  the  banking  corporations  of  our 
country  said  "  No.  "  Money  being  the  object  of  those 
corporations,  they  favor  only  that  legislation  that 

Eours  money  into  their  coffers.  They  know  nothing 
ut  venality;  they  look  not  beyond  the  boundary  of: 
their  own  circle,  or  "  ring."  The  corporation  becomes- 
a  petty  state,  and  claims  all  the  patriotism  of  those 
whose  monied  interests  are  bound  up  in  it— all  out 
side  interests  are  alien.  All  corporations  are  in  their 
very  nature  anti-democratic.  Monopolies  flourish 
best  under  arbitary  governments.  There  is,  then,  a 
constant  tendency  to  autocracy  in  a  country  cursed  as 
ours  is  by  the  existence  of  sO  many  monied  corpora 
tions,  They  are  giant  powers,  and  a  constant  menace 
to  freedom,  dangerous  in  proportion  to  their  wealth. 
The  public  interest  demands  that  Banking,  Insur 
ance,  and  Railroad  corporations,  land  monopoly,  ar.di 
manufacturing  monopolies  be  suppressed,  and  the 
government  assume  control  of  these  interests,  and  that" 
the  kinds  of  property  that  money  shall  represent  and 
be  exchangable  for,  be  particularly  defined,  limited  and 
circumscribed  by  legislative  enactments.  Then  mon 
ey  becomes  a  harmless  acquisition.  Then  might  eve- 
ery  man  have  and  hold  all  the  money  he  may.  The 


40  APPENDIX. 

public  lias  reason  to  complain  of  the  laws  giving  to 
the  monied  class  dangerous  monopolies,  and  especial 
ly  the  monopoly  of  furnishing  exchange  to  the  coun 
try.  The  fountain  from  which  all  exchange  should 
flow  and  directly  to  the  people,  is  the  government. 
Then  if  interest  be  paid  the  State  for  the  use  of  mon 
ey,  it  becomes  a  government  tax,  lessening  the  tax  on 
others-property,  and  benefitting  everybody — i  nstead  of 
building  up  a  hateful,  privileged  class  of  respectable 
paupers,  living  without  labor,  through  usury— a  mo 
nopoly  inherited  from  the  parent  Britain,  along  with 
slavery,  and  that  must,  like  sl.ivery,  be  got  rid  of — 
-and  speedily — for  it  is  fast  hurrying  the  nation  into 
bankdruptcy. 

Think  not  that  America  is  destined  to  follow  the 
footsteps  of  Europe.  She  will  make  a  path  for  her 
self.  This  new  world  was  prepared  by  Providence  as 
the  garden  of  the  Lord  in  which  new  and  better  ideas 
are  to  germinate  and  grow,  and  be  carried  from  this 
new  land  and  transplanted  in  the  ^old.  What  pro 
duced  the  French  ^Revolution  in  the  days  of  Washing 
ton?  American  ideas.  I  do  not  say  that  our  best 
ideas  of  government  are  native  of  this  soil.  I  know 
whence  our  freedom  has  arisen.  I  know  who  is  the  au 
thor  of  our  liberty.  That  one  germ  idea — equality  of 
men— is  traced  rightfully  back  to  the  Friend  of  the 
Poor — the  denouncer  of  the  rich,  but  His  thought  could 
not  work  in  the  old  wcrld  as  in  the  iiew,the  leven  of  gen 
tleness  and  lovebeing  there  neutralized  by  antagonistic 
institutions — arbitrary  governments  aud  corporations 
— kings,  lords  and  designing  priests.  Old  world  -cus 
toms  and  institutions  take  root  here  and  grow  for  a 
time  and  then  wither.  The  climate  is  not  suited  to 
them.  The  new  world  has  never  known  anything  but 
freedom.  The  old  world  customs  belong  to  depotism. 
The  new  world  will  beget  its  own  governments,  cus 
toms,  institutions;  but  -top  oft'  all  will  be  freedom. 
There  is  no  doubt  of  this.  Private  and  corporate 
wealth  may  array  itself  against  liberty— then  private 
and  corporate  wealth  must  go  to  the  wall, until  the  com 
monwealth  only  shall  survive.  Thus  will  equality  be 
realized  the  subordination  of  riches  to  the  general 
good,the  suppression  of  class  distinctions.  I  look  for  the 
time  to  come  in  America  when  no  man  will  build  a  cost 
lier  house  than  his  neighbor,  the  grand  works  of  art  and 
architecture  will  be  public,  like  the  Pantheon.  There 
then  be  uniformity  of  hours  of  labor  and  recrea- 


APPENDIX.  41 

lion,  g3ii3ral  cjmt'ort,  but  no  private  \v3ilth,  th3 
sam3  advantages  being  open  to  all,  schools  free,  the 
atrical  entertainments  free  (as  inacieut  Athens),  lect 
ures  free,  librairies  free.  There  will  be  no  "legal" 
methods  of  getting  suddenly  rich,  then;  for  all  such 
methods,  though  tolerated  now,  as  human  slavery 
was  a  few  years  ago,  are,  like  human  slavery,  wrong-r— 
yea,  wicked.  Do  you  not  see  that  it  is  wrong  forme 
to  seize  upon  and  appropriate  to'my  own  use  the  pro 
ceeds  of  others'  labor,  gathering  around  me  a  moun 
tain  of  the  surplus  products  of  industry,  strpping  to 
destitution  the  producers  of  those  products,  whether 
I  do  this  by  the  use  of  the  slave  whip,  or  by  any  other 
msans?  My  own  weak  arm  can t  produce  little. 
Why  must  others  serve  me,  toil  and  sweat  for  me, 
pour  out  the  fruits  of  their  toil  at  my  feet  until  I 
have  b3C')ni3  a  millionaire?  What  magnetic  power 
is  there  in  my  physical  structure  to  attract  to  me  all 
this  surplus  wealth,  as  the  water  flows  to  the  sea?  I 
am  only  a  man,  nor  has  God  made  me  in  any  respect 
dissimilar  to  other  men.  It  is  the  unjust  laws  that 
favor  me.  God  gave  me  my  manhood.  The  laws  of 
my  country  regard  not  God-given  manhood;  they 
favor  only  wealth.  The  laws  cause  wealth  to  attract 
to  itself  wealth  by  giving  the  wealthy  certain  monop 
olies,  Wealth  being  the  product  of  labor,  and  mech 
anical  skill,' is  of  slow  growth  naturally.  It  comes 
not  suddenly  to  the  world.  The  ratio  of  annual  in 
crease  of  wealth  in  the  United  States  is  little  more 
than  three  p'sr  cent;  $7,000,000,000  the  average-  annual 
product,  divided  by  45,OJO,000  inhabitants  gives  $155 
per  capita — or  $1,000  for  each  adult  male  citizen.  So, 
do  you  not  see  that  there  is  no  such  thing  as  justly 
acquiring  sudden  wealth.  The  John  Jacob  Astors  of 
the  world  have  got  their  great  wealth  mainly  by 
^•robbing  widows'  houses." 

This  contest  for  th=-j  rights  of  man  will  continue 
until  the  cause  of  the  people  completely  triumph.  It 
is  the  same  struggle  as  of  1776,  between  our  fathers 
and  the  king  and  the  lords  of  England,  and  as  of  1640 
in  England  between  the  Roundhead  and  trie  Caval 
ier— the' friction  of  advancing  civilization,  the  idea 
of  equality  going  forward  to  its  realization.  We 
may  truly  say  the  same  to-day  that  McCauley  said  in 
the  British  parliament  years  ago:  "At  this  very 
moment,"he  said,"  we  every  where  see  society  outgrow 
iug  our  institutions.  *  *  *  Here  we  see  the  bar- 


42  APPENDIX. 

bansm  of  the  13th  century  coupled  with  the  civiliza 
tion  of  the  19th,  and  we  see,  too,  that  this  barbarism 
belongs  to  the  government  and  the  civilization  to  the 
people.  Then,  I  say,  that  this  incongruous  state  of 
things  cannot  continue,  and  if  we  do  not  terminate  it 
with  wisdom  ere  long,  we  shall  find  it  ended  with 
violence." 

The  barbarism  that  environs  us  is  the  institutions 
brought  over  from  England  that  are  still  cumbering 
the  ground  here,  banking  institutions,  insurance 
institutions,  individual  capital  employing  labor  ex 
tensively,  land  monopoly,  and  all  sorts  of  private 
monied  corporations,  organized  and  conducted  on  sel 
fish  prirciples,  and  building  up  the  power  and  wealth 
of  the  few  at  the  expense  of  the  many.  Those  who 
have  power  in  their  hands, as  all  history  shows,  never 
give  it  up  voluntarily.  It  must  be  wrenched  from 
them.  And  the  monopolies  which  the  ages  have 
handed  down  through  the  centuries  of  the  tyrannous, 
monarchial,  aristocratic  past,and  that  are  now  held  by 
the  few  to  the  detriment  of  the  many,  must  be  put 
down  by  the  same  power  that  has  overcome  mon 
archy;  suppressed  aristocracy;  blotted  out  African 
slavery  and  lifted  up  the  laboring  classes  here,  the 
power  of  the  popular  will.  Concentrated  capital 
and  monopolies  will  soon  become  so  burdensome  that 
they  must  be  thrown  down  by  universal  consent.  A 
few  giant  firms  ere  long  will  transact  all  the  business, 
and  tens  of  thousands  of  buildings  heretofore  occu 
pied  by  small  shop-keepers,  grocers,  merchants,  etc. 
will  stand  vacant.  The  lands  will  soon  be  monopo 
lized  by  a  few  here  as  in  Europe— all  manufacturing 
will  be  done  by  a  few  great  capitalists;  the  pork-pack 
ing  of  the  northwest  by  two  or  three  gigantic  firms 
of  Chicago,  St.  Louis  and  Cincinnati,  under  the  con 
trol  of  European  capitalists,  as  the  carrying  trade  of 
the  whole  nation  is  now  principally  under  the  control 
of  three  great,  swollen  barnacles — Gould,  Scott  and 
Yanderbilt.  Thus  will  all  business  be  controlled  by 
a  syndicate  of  money  kings,  with  headquarters  in 
London,  and  become  such  a  monopoly  that  producers 
and  consumers  cannot  endure  it,  and  they  will  find  re 
lief  in  co-operative  stores,  co-operative  factories, 
etc..  and  the  people  of  America  will  be  forced,  of  ne 
cessity,  to  take  governmental  control  of  all  transpor 
tation  interests,  as  of  the  mails,  and  goods  be  for 
warded,  like  letters  stamped,  so  much  per  pound  or 


APPENDIX.  43: 

cwfc.  The  people,  acting  individually,  cannot  com 
pete  with  monopolies.  Monopolies  will  conquer  the 
masses  in  detail  unless  the  masses  concentrate  their 

Eower  and  enforce  their  will  through  the  laws.  We 
ave  about  come  upon  a  period  in  the  world's  history 
when  there  is  no  alternative  left  us  but  the  inaugura 
tion  of  an  absolute  control  by  the  people,  through 
legislation,  of  all  interests — a  complete  crystalization 
of  the  papular  will  in  perfected  institutions.  "Asso 
ciations"  of  all  kinds  are  combined  now  against  the 
masses,  and  arbitrarily  levy  tax  for  support,  more  ab 
solute  in  their  tyranny  than  was  Charles  I.  even.  The 
masses  must  combine  in  a  gigantic  union  with  arti 
cles  of  association  which  shall  be  the  fundamental 
constitutions  of  State  and  National  governments,  in 
stituted  for  the  common  welfare  alone. 

Labor,  indeed,  is  master  of  the  situation.  The  toil 
ers  ate  the  ninety  and  Inine.  They  make  and  run  all 
the  machinery— build  and  operate  all  the  railroads.. 
They  build  all  forts,  and  man  them  ;  they  manufacT 
ture  all  guns  and  implements  of  war,  and  use  them  ! 
Whose  muscular  arms  load  and  fire  the  cannons  ? 
Whose  sinewy  hands  grasp  the  swords  and  muskets? 
Of  what  class  of  society  was  that  grand  army  of 
Grant  and  Sherman  composed  that  passed  in  review 
before  President  Johnson  at  Washington  in  1865  ? 
and  of  Lee  and  Johnson  that  was  disbanded  and  sent 
home?  Toilers,  and  toilers  alone  !  They  are  the  alL 
in  all.  They  are  the  lords  and  gods  of  this  great 
world.  Whenever  the  people  aregready  the  great 
change  will  come.  There  wrill  be  no  war  ;  for  there 
will  be  nobody  to  fight  against  combined  labor.  You 
cannot  set  even  the  laboring  men  of  England  to  fight 
against  the  laboring  men,  of  the  United  States.  The 
people  will  go  to  war  no  more.  The  only  way  possi 
ble  for  capital  to  conquer  labor  (and  that  is  no  longer 
possible)  were  to  set  the  laborers  fighting  one  anoth 
er,  as  the  whites  have  the  Indians  ever.  Thus  the 
toilers  of  the  north  and  the  toilers  of  the  south  were 
forced  by  party  leaders  in  1861  into  a  war  that  the  peo 
ple  would  never  have  gone  into  of  their  own  voice 
and  choice.  Wars  will  cease  when  the  people  rule^. 
The  people  have  never  ruled  yet ;  but  they  soon  will. 
A  solid  South  and  a  solid  North  can  never  be  set  shoot 
ing  each  other  again.  Labor  will  take  care  of  itself. 
Capitalists  wouW  now  shape  theresults  of  the  war  of 
'61,  so  that  instead  of  having  been,  as  we  supposed,  the 


44  APPENDIX. 

triumph  of  free  labor  over  slave  labor,  it  would  prove 
to  have  been  the  triumph  of  Wall  street  and  Lom 
bard  street  capiialists  over  the  agriculturalists,  manu 
facturers  and  laborers  of  Nortn  America.  Instead 
of  emancipating  labor,  and  giving  freedom  to  four 
millions  of  slaves,  it  would  prove  to  have  enslaved 
forty  millions  of  freemen,  unless  the  present  policy 
of  gold  resumption  be  given  up.  But  this  will  end. 
The  reaction  will  come — and  in  spite  of  a  venal  and 
corrupt  press— and  the  gigantic  power  of  monied  mo 
nopolies  and  corporations  the  people  will  rule.  Labor 
will  soon  be  master.  What  is  unbearable  will  not  be 
l)orne — and  the  evils  that  are  now  upon  us  are  unbear 
able.  A  national  convention  to  revise  the  federal 
constitution  will  soon  be  demanded.  It  will  assemble; 
and  it  will  never  adjourn  until  the  government  is 
brought  into  harmony  with  the  changed  condition 
of  things,  and  the  flag  made  the  emblem  of  freedom 
and  equality. 

When  this  is  accomplished,  instead  of  the  laws  be 
ing  made  in  the  interest  of  selfishness,  they  will  en- 
.force  the  golden  rule  ;  and  wnen  this  is  done,  the 
Kingdom  of  God  is  established  on  the  earth.  This  is 
all  that  I  pray  for  ;  this  is  all  I  contend  for  ;  this  is 
what  I  would  die  for.  It  is  the  establishment  of  such 
a  community  of  love  that  the  angels  foresaw  when 
they  proclaimed  peace  on  earth  good  will  towards 
men.  This  is  the  Apocalyptic  New  Jerusalem  that 
was  revealed  to  the  banished  saint  on  the  Isle  of  Pat- 
mos  "descending  from  God  out  of  heaven  ;"  the  "new 
€arth"  when  the  "first  earth  had  passed  away"  and 
"God  should  dwell  with  men  and  be  their  God  and 
they  should  be  His  people."  This  glorious  Kingdom 
of  God  is  rapidly  descending  upon  our  earth— 1976 
"will  behold  it.  The  grand  progress  of  mind  during 
the  last  century  is  the  harbinger  of  the  coming  day. 
Man  has  nearly  ceased  to  be  a  savage.  He  is  almost 
ripe — and  beautiful  will  be  the  cluster  upon  the  vine 
of  love. 

Kalph  Waldo  Emerson  says  :  "The  idea  which  now 
^begins  to  agitate  society,  has  a  wider  scope  than  pur 
•daily  employments — our  households  and  the  institu 
tions  of  property.  We  are  to  revise  the  whole  of  our 
social  structure — the  state,  the  school,  religion,  mar 
riage,  trade,  science,  and  explore  the  foundation  of 
our  nature.  Wha*  is  man  born  for  but  to  be  a  reform 
er—  a  re-maker  of  what  man  has  made— a  renouncer 


APPENDIX.  45. 

of  lies— a  restorer  of  truth  and  good,  imitating  the 
great  nature  which  embosoms  us  all,  and  which  sleeps 
no  moment  on  an  old  past;  but  every  hour  repairs 
herself,  yielding  us  every  morning  a  new  day,  and 
with  every  pulsation  a  new  life.  Let  him  remove  ev 
erything  which  is  not  true  to  him.  *  There 
will  dawn  ere  long  on  our  p  litics,  on  our  modes  of 
living,  a  nobler  morning  in  the  sentiment  of  love. 
Our  age  and  history  of  these  thousand  years  has  not 
been  the  history  of  kindness  ;  but  of  selfishness.  Our 
distrust  is  very  expensive.  The  money  spent  for 
courts  and  prisons  is  ill-laid  out.  We  make  by  dis 
trust  the  thief,  the  burglar,  and  incendiary,  and  by  our 
court  and  jail  we  keep  him  so.  An  acceptan«e  of  the 
sentiment  of  love  throughout  Christendom  for  a  sea 
son,  would  bring  the  felon  and  outcast  to  our  side  in 
tears,  with  the  devotion  of  his  faculties  to  our  serv 
ice.  See  this  wide  society  of  laboring  men  and  wo 
men.  We  allow  ourselves  to  be  served  by  them  ;  we 
live  apart  from  them  and  meet  them  on  the  street 
without  a  salule.  We  do  not  greet  their  talents,  nor 
rejoice  in  their  good  fortune,  nor  foster  their  hopes, 
nor  in  the  assembly  of  the  people  vote  fer  what  is 
dear  to  thena  Thus  we  enact  the  part  of  the  selfish- 
noble  nndking  to  the  world's  foundation. 

*       Let  our  affections  flow  out   to  our  fellows  ;  it 
would  operate  in  a  day  the  greatest  of  all  revolutions. 

THE  STATE  MUST  CONSIDER  THE  POOR  NAN  AND  ALL, 
VOICES  MUST  SPEAK  FOR  HIM.  EVERY  CHILD  BORN- 
MUST  HAVE  A  JUST  CHANCE  (WITH  WORK)  FOR  HIS 
BREAD." 

And  James  Freeman  Clarke  says  :  "The  time  will 
come  at  last — long  foretold  by  prophet  and  sybil,  long 
retarded  by  unbelief  and  formalism — when  wars  shall 
cease,  and  the  reign  of  just  laws  take  the  place  of 
force  in  the  great  federation  of  mankind.  * 
Christ  will  at  last  become  in  reality  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  putting  and  end  to  war  between  nations,  war 
between  classes  in  society,  war  between  criminals 
and  the  state.  In  trade,  instead  of  competition,  we 
shall  have  co-operation,'  and  all  industry  will  receive- 
its  just  recompense." 


PART  III.— THE  RIGHTS  OF  LABOR, 


•(TAKEN  FROM  A  BOOK  or  THE  AUTHOR'S  or  THE  ABOVE  TITLE  PRIN 
TED  IN  1875.) 


What  progress  the  grand  principles  of  the  NEW 
PARTY,  that  as  yet  has  won  no  conquests,  but  is  one 
day  to  rule  America  and  the  world,  have  made  among 
the  thinking  men  of  our  age  and  country  !  That  par 
ty  is  the  Party  of  Labor— and  the  impending  conflict 
is  between  labor  and  capital. 

There  is  nothing  more  plainly  discei  nable  than  the 
coming  revolution  in  favor  of  the  lights  of  the  la 
boring  man,  or,  I  should  say,  the  rights  of  man  ;  for 
the  rights  of  labor  and  the  rights  of  man  are  identi 
cal.  By  and  through  labor  come  subsistence  and  all 
wealth— or  as  President  Grant  expresses  it  in  his  mes 
sage  of  December,  1874,  "the  working  man  must,  af 
ter  all,  produce  the  wealth."  No  man  is  exempt  from 
the  natural  obligation  to  earn  his  living  by  the  sweat 
of  his  face.  It  is  true  many  men  do  live  by  the  sweat 
of  other  men's  faces,  but  this  is  not  as  it  should  be. 
All  able-bodied  men  should  earn  their  own  living  by 
their  own  labor  ;  and  every  artificial  advantage  given 
to  one  man  over  another  by  the  unjust  laws,  should 
be  removed,  and  all  men  left  exactly  upon  the  same 
plane  of  equality.  This  must  come  about  as  soon  as 
'despotic  government  is  broken  up,  and  the  people  uni 
versally  govern.  The  rights  of  individuals  cannot  be 
protected  until  the  wurld  has  freed  itself  from  the 
domination  of  wealth. 

The  struggle  of  the  common  people  for  their  ina 
lienable  rights  is  not  the  battle  of  a  day,  but  of  cen 
turies.  It  goes  on  with  the  progress  of  enlighten 
ment.  The  victory  will  be  won  when  the  divinity  of 
humanity  has  been  completely  recognized  in  the  uni 
versal  thought  of  men.  The  foolish  homage  so  long 
given  to  wealth  will  then  be  replaced  by  homage  to 
manhood. 

"  A  man's  a  man  for  a'  that," 


APPENDIX.  47 

is  the  germ-idea  of  civilization — the  corner  stone  of 
the  temple  of  freedom. 

The  most  powerful  agents  are  the  most  subtile. 
Ideas  arj  irresistible.  When  our  fathers  announced 
"  We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident  that  all  men 
are  created  equal;  and  are  endowed  by  their  Creator 
with  the  inalienable  rights  of  life,  liberty,  and  the 
pursuit  of  happiness,"  the  irrepressible  conflict  be 
tween  freedom  and  slavery  began  in  the  new  world. 
The  poor  black  man  was  held  under  no  worse  servi 
tude  than  the  poor  white  is  held  to-day. 

The  poor  man  has  ever  been  a  slave  to  the  rich. 
Great  the  friction  this  onward  moving  idea  was  des 
tined  to  encounter.  Blood  must  flow  like  water;  but 
the  idea  must  move  on  and  on  ;  and  just  so  sure  as 
the  world  is  destined  to  emerge  from  darkness  into 
light,  from  barbarism  into  civilization,  equality  must 
come. 

"  Still  it  moves"— the  pondrous  world  still  rolls  upon 
its  axis,  and  the  truths  of  God  advance.  The  mills  of 
ths  gods  are  slowly  grinding  out  the  inevitable.  In 
the  atmosphere  of  America — clear  as  the  mountain 
atmosphere  of  Colorado— the  bright  dome  of  the  tem- 

Ele  of  freedom  stands  out  against  the  horizon  as  if 
ut  a  little  way  off .  But  before  the  people  shall  enter 
that  temple  "equal"  dreadful  conflicts  must  even  yet 
be  had.  The  hosts  of  slavery  must  be  further  over 
come—they  must  be  routed  and  driven  from  the  very 
"  last  ditch."  Not  an  inch  of  ground  will  the  enemy 
yield  except  it  be  taken  from  him  by  mighty  force. 

When  announced  "all  are  created  equal,"  our  people 
were,  for  more  than  a  hundred  years,  destined  to  wan 
der  in  the  wilderness  ere  this  ideal  could  be  replaced 
by  the  real.  The  war  of  Revolution  snuffed  out  the 
'•king*'  idea,  and  that  of  a  "titled  nobility."  Slowly 
and  surely  have  the  people  been  advancing.  Th^  pub 
lic  conscience  could  no  longer  tolerate  the  flaunting 
lie  of  chattel  slavery  written  upon  our  escutcheon. 
That  devil  "went  out  hard,"  but  it  had  to  go,  because 
our  fathers  had  declared  for  human  equality. 

But  another  step  forward  will  soon  be  taken  by  the 
American  nation — another  step  towards  the  full  real 
ization  of  the  idea  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen 
dence.  The  storm-cloud  is  gathering.  One  even  now 
may  behold  it,  "larger  than  a  man's  hand."  Millions  of 
earnest  men  and  women  in  this  United  States,  North 
and  South,  are  united  as  one  in  the  determination  tha. 


48  APPENDIX. 

the  poor  man  shall  have  his  rights— 1  hat  intelligence 
and  numbers;  and  not  "capital"  shall  rule  tl  e  nation. 

•'Chattel  slavery,"  they  assert,  "has  been  al dished  ; 
but  the  rights  and  relations  of  labor  stand  just  AY  here 
they  did  before  the  emancipation,  in  respect  to  the  di 
visions  of  its  products.  The  difference  lies  only  in 
the  methods  of  abstracting  the  results  and  concentra- 
them  in  the  hands  of  a  few  capitalists.  Capital  is  now 
the  master  and  dictates  the  terms,  arc!  thus  all  labor 
ers  are  practically  placed  in  the  same  condition  as  the 
slave  before  the  emancipation," 

Strong  language  indeed,  and  big  with  meaning. 
Thus  spoke  the  farmers  and  workingmen  of  Indiana 
in  State  Convention,  assembled  at  Indianapolis,  on 
the  10th  day  of  June,  1874  : 

"We  need  only  point,"  they  say,  "to  the  fact  that  in 
this  benificent  country  of  unlimited  resources,  with 
the  land  annually  groaning  beneath  the  i  n.ducts  of 
human  effort,  the  mass  of  the  people  have  no  supply 
beyond  their  daily  wants,  and  are  compelled,  from  un 
just  conditions,  in  sickness  or  misfortune,  to  become 
paupers.  Pauperism  and  crime  are  the  perplexing 
questions  of  all  modern  statesmanship,  and  it  is  with 
these  we  have  to  deal.  How  far  these  evils  are  con 
nected  with  the  abuses  inflicted  on  labor,  a  superficial 
statesmanship  seems  not  to  perceive." 

They  point  out  as  the  instrumentality  by  which 
these  wrongs  are  inflicted  : 

"First— Banking  and  monied  monopolies,  by  which, 
through  ruinous  rates  of  interest,  the  products  of  hu: 
man  labor  are  concentrated  into  the  hands  of  non- 
producers.  This  is  the  great  central  source  of  these 
wrongs,  in  and  through  which  all  other  monopolies 
exist  and  operate. 

"Second — Consolidated  railroads  and  other  transit 
monopolies,  whereby  all  industries  are  taxed  to  the 
last  mill  they  will  bear  for  the  beneiit  of  the  stock 
holders  and  stock-jobbers. 

"Third — Manufacturing  monopolies,  whereby  all 
small  operators  are  crushed  out  and  the  prices  of  la 
bor  and  products  are  determined  with  mathematical 
certainty  in  the  interest  of  the  capitalists. 

"Fourth — Land  monopolies,  by  which  the  public  do 
main  is  absorbed  by  a  few  corporations  and  speculators. 

"Fifth— Commercial  and  grain  monopolies,  and 
speculation  enriching  the  bloated  corporations  on  hu 
man  necessities." 


APPENDIX.  49 

The  working  men  and  farmers  then  announce  it  to 
be  their  aim  to  "restore  the  government  to  its  original 
purpose."  which  they  define  to  be  to  "protect  property 
and  enforce  natural  rights."  "We  -desire,"  they  say, 
"a  proper  equality  and  protection  for  the  weak,  and 
restraint  upon  the  strong  :  in  short,  justly  distributed 
burdens  and  justly  distributed  powers."  These,  they 
affirm  are  Ameaican  ideas,  the  very  essence  of  Am^r- 
ican  independence,  and  to  "advocate  the  contrary  is 
unworthy  the  sons  and  daughters  of  an  American 
Kepublic." 

Who  is  so  blind  that  he  does  not  "discern  the  signs 
of  the  times  ?"  There  is  near  at  hand  a  struggle  that 
Will  "try  men's  souls."  If  you,  reader,  have  in  you 
the  heart  of  a  patriot,  it  will  be  warmed  with  emo 
tions  of  love  for  your  country,  and  like  a  true  man, 
you  will  be  found  in  the  ranks  of  the  common  people, 
contending  for  the  immortal  principle  of  human 
equality.  If  you  are  contaminated  with  venality — if 
you  have  in  you  the  heart  of  a  Benedict  Arnold — the 
rich  c  ipitalist  will  enlist  you  on  his  side,  for  he  has 
in  his  possession  the  money  bag  ;  and  by  bribery,  by 
the  aid  of  a  venal  press,  and  base  appeals  to  the  basest 
passions  of  the  base,  he  will  endeavor  to  rally  to  his 
standard  his  hireling  supporters,  and  by  their  aid 
strive  to  keep  down  under  his  feet  the  working  popu 
lation  of  this  nation. 

Years  ago,  when  I  read  of  the  efforts  of  the  labor 
ing  men  of  Europe  for  their  rights,  as  shown  in  the 
aims  and  objects  of  the  International  Society,  I  saidr 
"when  the  working  men  and  farmers  of  America  be 
gin  in  earnest  to  strike  for  their  rights,  then  will  my 
heart  be  enlisted  in  the  great  cause,  and  so  long  as  the 
Good  Being  shall  see  fit  to  preserve  my  life,  will  I  bat 
tle  with  tongue  and  pen  to  hasten  on  the  period  when 
the  glorious  dream  of  Jefferson  shall  be  realized,  and 
all  be  indeed  equal."  I  believe  the  time  is  not  far  dis 
tant  in  the  history  of  this  country,  when  the  laws 
shall  be  so  perfect  and  the  administration  of  them  so- 
complete,  that  there  will  be  practical  equality  among" 
the  people  and  the  divine  command  "thou  shalt  love 
thy  fellow  man  as  thyself,"  be  practically  enforced  as 
the  supreme  law  of  the  land. 

That  "all  men  are  created  equal,"  implies  that  prac 
tical  equality  ought  to  be  maintained  among  men, 
else  it  is  a  meaningless  expression,  so  far  as  the  rights- 

4* 


50  APPENDIX. 

<of  men  are  concerned.  It  means  that  in  society  all 
-are  by  nature  equal,  and  no  artificial  fetters  ought  to 
be  permitted  to  bind  the  hands  of  any.  The  track 
should  be  clear,  so  that  all  might  have  an  even  chance 
in  the  race  toward  the  goal  of  mental  and  moral  per 
fection.  There  should  be  no  hindrances  set  up  by  the 
laws  or  customs,  or  conditions  of  society,  to  any  ;  but 
every  child  born  ought  to  have  an  ey.n  start  with  ev 
ery  other  child,  Inequality  of  conditions  exists  among 
men  because  governments  and  laws  are  immature. 
The  few  should  not  be  permitted  to  clutch  the  surplus 
wealth  of  the  nation  ;  but  all  surplus  wealth  should 
be  in  the  possession  of  the  State,  for  the  common  ben 
efit,  that  the  youth  of  tiie  land  may  be  completely  ed 
ucated  and  protected  from  pauperism  and  prepared 
for  the  sublime  office  of  citizenship. 

We  may  define  a  true  and  perfect  government  or 
commonwealth,  in  the  words  of  the  divine  teacher  of 
men,  "Thoushalt  love  thy  fellow  man  as  thyself.*' 
'The  object  of  good  government  is  to  compel  the  per 
formance  of  the  natural  obligations  of  man  to  man. 
It  is  true  that  government  cannot  directly  compel  man 
to  love  his  fellow  man ;  but  it  is  the  office  of  the 
school  master  to  instil  into  the  minds  of  youth  the 
sentiments  ot  love  and  patriotism,  and  fidelity  and 
<duty.  Government  is  responsible  for  the  education 
of  the  people.  To  the  government  we  must  look  to 
encourage  and  support  those  schools  and  institutions 
of  learning  that  shall  lead  all  citizens  to  realize  their 
obligations,  to  each  other  and  to  society.  Government 
should  enforce  the  duties  resulting  from  the  natural 
obligation  to  love  our  fellow  man  as  ourself.  Our 
free  school  sytem  is  based  on  this  fact.  Many  indi- 
viclur.lc  pciy  t:i::ci:  *c  r^.rrt?  **'"  "HMrrn  of  poor  mnn 
who  would  not  give  a  cent  for  that  purpose  volunta 
rily.  The  government  compels  the  performance  of 
this  grand  duty.  The  government  should  crystalize 
in  its  laws  the  command,  "Love  thy  neighbor" as  thy 
self." 

Let  us  see  for  a  moment  what  kind  of  society  or 
state  that  would  be  in  which  this  divine  law  was  prac 
tically  carried  out  and  enforced.  No  fraternity  could 
Ibe  bound  more  closely  in  its  obligations  of  charity. 
Every  child  would  be  bountifully  clothed,  fed  and 
completely  educated,  cared  for  and  protected.  Every 
"widow  and  every  orphan  would  receive  a  bountiful 
pension.  Who  would  fail  to  love such.a  government? 


APPENDIX.  51 

Who  would  not  be  willing  to  die  in  defence  of  such 
noble  institutions?  There  would  be  no  such  word 
known  as  "selfishness"  in  such  a  well  ordered  society. 
Every  one  would  liv«  and  labor  for  other's  good  and 
not  for  his  own.  He  would  be  compelled  to  do  so, 
whether  he  felt  like  doing  so  or  not,  as  every  rich 
man  te  compelled  to  pay  taxes  to  support  free  schools, 
though  some  sordid  ones  bite  their  lips  with  indigna 
tion  because  compelled  to  contribute  to  the  education 
of  others'  children.  But  the  law  says  to  him,  "  Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,"  "thousftaWlove," 
so  far  as  to  give  willingly  or  unwillingly  of  thy  sub 
stance  for  the  education  of  the  children  of  thy  unfor 
tunate  or  less  prosperous  neighbor.  His  children  thou 
must  bless — with  thy  money  paid  into  the  public  school 
fund— willin  rly  or  unwillingly,  thou  shalt,  so  far  as 
thy  actions  are  concerned,  practically  "love  thy  neigh 
bor  as  thyself."  But  our  free  school  system  is  only 
the  shadow  of  good  tumors  to  come.  The  pensions 
given  to  orphans  and  widows  of  soldiers  who  fell  in 
the  service,  are  but  the  shadow  of  good  things  to  come. 
Every  widow  and  every  orphan  will  one  day,  in  this 
free  and  happy  Republic,  draw  pension  from  govern 
ment — not  as  paupers — but  as  rightful  heirs  ;  for  each 
•good  and  true  citizen  will  say,  "Every  mother  in 
America  is  my  mother."  I  will  assume  to  be  the  fath 
er  of  the  fatherless.  I  will  do  all  in  my  power  to 
have  it  said,  "it  is  good  for  a  child  to  be  born."  If  it 
is  right  that  we  should  love  our  fellow  men  as'our- 
seif,  the  State  is  obligated  to  enforce  the  practical  ob 
servance  of  all  actions  properly  growing  out  of  this 
duty.  Every  person  living  under  the  shadow  of  this 
divine  law  has  rights  growing  out  of  this  law.  It  is 
the  duty  of  the  government  to  enforce  natural  rights. 
It  is  a  natural  law  shat  the  father  shall  love  his  chil 
dren.  His  duty  is  to  watch  over  and  protect  his  child. 
The  law  of  the  land  punishes  the  parent  for  neglect; 
for  there  is  such  a  thing  as  "criminal  neglect."  The 
father  must  fulfill  the  duties  and  obligations  of  a 
father.  The  child  can  demand  protection,  The  child 
has  rights  growing  out  of  its  condition  as  a  helpless, 
dependent  child.  The  law  of  the  land  must  enforce 
the  natural  obligation  of  the  father  to  protect  his 
child.  If  it  is  the  supreme  law  of  God  and  nature 
that  we  should  love  our  fellow  man  as  ourself,  then  it 
is  the  ofliceof  government  to  enforce  the  obligation 
growing  out  of  this  divine  law.  Love  is,  and  has 


52  APPENDIX. 

ever  been  held  by  the  enlightened,  the  supreme  law. 
It  was  engraven  on  a  tomb  of  one  of  the  Pharaos  at 
Thebes,  more  than  three  thousand  years  ago,  "I  have 
given  bread  to  the  hungry ;  water  to  the  thirsty ;; 
clothes  to  the  naked,  and  shelter  to  the  stranger." 
Four  thousand  years  look  down  upon  the  saying  of  the 
Rig  Veda,  "  The  Kind  mortal  is  greater  than  the  great 
est  in  heaven." 

To  this  law  of  love  all  laws  must  ultimately  be  con 
formed.  Whatever  is  contray  to  Jove  must  one  day 
come  to  an  end.  "I  know,"  says  Theodore  Parker, 
"man  will  triumph  over  matter  ;  the  people  over  ty 
rants  ;  right  over  wrong ;  truth  over  falsehood  ;  love 
over  hate."  Upon  the  ultimate,  final  and  complete 
triumph  of  love  hangs  the  hope  of  the  universe.  The 
world  becomes  civilized  as  men  learn  to  love  one  an 
other.  Stop  the  onward  progress  of  a  divine  idea,, 
who  can  !  Selfishness  and  cruelty  must  perish.  What 
a  change  will  come  over  the  face  of  this  world!  Ar 
mies  will  one  day  cease  to  muster  for  war.  Navies 
will  ride  the  seas  no  more.  Complete  equality  will 
prevail  among  men.  The  freedom  and  happiness  of 
every  individual  will  be  secure.  Each  will  practical 
ly  love  his  neighbor  as  himself.  I  repeat,  inequality 
of  conditions  exists  among  men  because  governments 
and  laws  are  immature.  Man  is  yet  a  savage.  Oh.  if 
we  could  but  lift  the  curtain  of  the  future  and  be 
hold  the  glorious  panorama  of  the  world  as  it  will  be 
when  the  people  have  got  full  control  of  all  States, 
and  when  kings  and  priests  and  aristocrats  shall  be 
unknown,  then  would  we  behold  a  picture  that  would 
gladden  every  heart.  The  ponderous  roller  of  en 
lightened  reason,  truth  ?nd  Jove,  must  yet  pass  over 
the  world,  leveling  all  ineqalities  of  condition.  The- 
time  will  come  when  mankind  will  indeed  be  one 
family,  and  when  one  child  of  God  will  be  just  as 
well  off  as  another.  Is  God  the  father  of  us  all,  and 
are  we  all  brethren  and  joint  inheritors  of  this  world, 
when  a  few  get  all  and  the  many  nothing?  Yes,  ev 
ery  child  born  ought  to  have  an  even  start  with  every 
other  child.  Is  not  this  God's  world,  and  are  not  all 
alike  his  offspring?  Why  then  should  the  few  be 
permitted  to  clutch  the  surplus  wealth  of  the  na 
tions  ? 

It  is  worth  while  to  note  particularly  how  inequal- 
ty  of  conditions  among  men  is  brought  about.  Mon 
ey  gained  by  honest  industry  is  bestowed  by  God. 


APPENDIX.  53 

By  industry,  it  is  said  we  gain  wealth  ;  but  this  say 
ing  is  false,  Ko  man  can  by  honest  industry  become 
very  wealthy.  It  is  not  by  industry  great  fortunes 
have  been  gained.  Look  at  the  great  landed  estates 
possessed  by  the  feudal  lords  of  Europe.  In  the  mid 
dle  ages  all  Europe  was  subjugated  by  the  Gothic  and 
Vandal  tribes.  The  chiefs  divided  up  the  lands  be 
tween  themselves,  and  (as  in  England,)  the  law  of 
primogeniture  has  brought  lown  the  landed  estates 
whole  and  unbroken  to  the  descendants  of  those  mili 
tary  chiefs. 

Any  one  can  see  that  these  chiefs  looked  only  to 
their  own  selfish  interests  and  of  theirposterity.  The 
laws  were  made  in  the  interest  of  the  rich.  The  sons 
of  the  lords  are  all  provided  for  by  the  laws  of  Eng 
land,  even  to-day.  The  church  and  the  army  furnish 
"sinecures,"  "livings,"  large  "pay,"to  the  sons  of  the 
rich  only.  Thus  it  has  ever  been  that  selfishness  haw 
cursed  th<3  world  ;  for  nearly  all  the  laws  that  govern 
mankind  to-day  have  been  dictated  by  selfishness. 
The  inalienable  rights  of  man  have  not  been  regar 
ded,  but  only  the  interests  of  the  ruling  class— the 
rich. 

We  are  accustomed  to  consider  that  to  be  right  which 
is  legitimate,  which  is  lawful.  Is  it  right  for  a  very  few 
men  to  own  the  lands  of  England,  Ireland  and  Scot 
land?  Those  few  are  a  privileged  class.  They  do  no 
manual  labor,  but !  they  nre  supported  by  the  toil  and 
sweat  of  other  men,  whom  God  designed  to  be  their 
equals,  and  who  are  their  peers  in  all  respects  but  that 
these  monopolize  the  earth  that  God  has  designed  to 
be  as  free  as  the  air  we  breathe  and  the  water  we 
drink.  They  hold  this  land  by  the  same  right 
that  the  slave-master  of  the  south  held  his 
slave — by  the  law  of  force — and  not  by  any 
natural  right.  It  is  amazing  that  in  this  enlightend 
age'  when" in  all  lands,  it  is  conceded  by  all  fair-mind 
ed  men,  that  all  just  government  is  founded  on  the 
sovereignty  and  consent  of  the  governed,  and  that  its 
purpose  is  to  protect  the  weak  and  restrain  the  strong 
—enforcing  natural  rights— it  is  amazing  1  say,  that 
the  oppressed  millions  of  England,  Ireland  and  Scot 
land  do  not  assert  their  rights  to  the  equal  protection 
of  the  laws,  and  bring  down  the  land  monopolists  to 
the  same  level  as  other  men — dividing  up  the  lands 
equitably  among  the  people  to  whom  it  rightfully  be. 
longs.  How  much  better  are  thos.e  landlords  than 


54  APPENDIX. 

were  the  slave-buyers  and  slave-sellers  of  the  South  ? 
They  seize  upon  and  appropriate  to  their  own  use  the 
profits  of  other  men's  labor. 

The  first  thing  in  importance  to  the  happiness  of 
mankind  is  the  suppression  of  monopoly  in  Jands. 
God  and  nature  give  no  right  to  any  man  of  any  more 
of  earth's  surface  than  when  tilled  by  his  own  hands 
will  supply  his  necessities.  The  only  right  that  any 
man  can  set  up  to  any  more  than  an  equitable  portion 
of  God's  domain  is  the  "legal"  right.  The  ccmmon 
law  favoring  land  monopoly  has  come  down  to  us 
from  the  dark  ages,  when  might  made  right,  and 
when  a  few  military  chrif  tains  divided  habitable 
Europe  between  themselves,  holding  the  rest  of  man 
kind  as  vassals  and  serfs  The  common  law  found 
ed  in  wrong  ought  not  to  be  considered  binding  to-day. 
The  statute  laws  of  the  country  are  made  by  the  peo 
ple,  and  the  people  will  not  always  be  willing  to  let 
the  few  alone  reap  advantage  from  the  laws.  Indi 
vidual  rights  does  not  mean  the  privilege  of  the  indi 
vidual  to  plunder  his  neighbors.  No  man  has  a  right 
to  grasp  more  than  his  just  share  of  God's  gifts  to 
His  children,  The  same  arguments  must  be  resorted 
to,  to  justify  land  monopoly  as  were  used  to  justify 
human  slavery.  "When  the  few  own  all  the  lands  the 
people  are  not  better  off  than  were  the  negro  slaves  of 
the  South.  Land  monopoly  places  the  many  under  the 
beels  of  the  few,  destroying  the  independence  and 
happiness  of  the  great  majority  of  mankind,  reducing 
them  to  practical  vassalage.  When  the  few  own  all 
the  lands,  they  dictate  to  the  many  the  term*  on 
which  they  will  allow  them  to  live  at  all.  In  this 
country  land  rents  are  becoming  higher  and  higher. 
In  England  ajid  jreland  the  tiller  of  the  soil  gets  only 
a  tithe  of  the  profits  of  his  own  labor  while  the  land 
lord  seizes  upon  the  bulk.  The  laborer  is  reduced  to 
the  greatest  indigence,  while  the  land-lord  wallows 
in  luxury.  The  time  will  come  in  this  country  when 
the  landless  will  be  in  the  condition  of  the  Irish 
peasantry,  unless  there  comes  the  change  that  I  an 
tic 'pate.  C_ 

Let  it  be  a  fundamental  law  that  no  rrian  can 
hold  lands  that  he  does  not  occupy,  and  that  his  home 
stead  shall  be  a  limited  number  of  acres  (s~ay  40,  80,  or 
160)  of  tillable  land.  Let  the  surplus  lands  be  apprais 
ed,  and  tke  owners  paid  for  them  by  the  State,  and 
let  the  State  then  sell  the  lands  to  the  |mdless  on. 


APPENDIX.  55 

equitable  terms  until  every  acre  shall .  be  cultivated 
by  the  actual  owners. 

That  a  half  dozen  men  do  not  own  every  acre  of 
land  in  Iowa,  is  not  that  there  is  not  that  many  men 
in  the  United  States  able  to  purchase  every  acre 
nor  that  there  is  any  law  to  prevent ;  but  that  they 
can  make  more  out  of  their  money  at  present  by 
lending  it  at  ten  per  cent  to  individuals  at  the  same 
time  that  government  pays  them  from  five  to  seven 
per  cent  on  the  same  in  gold.  But  the  testimony 
comes  up  from  the  Atlantic  States  and  the  Middle 
States,  that  the  land  is  gravitating  into  a  few  hands. 
Every  patriot  should  feel  alarmed  at  the  prospect  of 
America's  becoming  like  England  and  Ireland— a 
laud  in  which  the  laborer  is  held  down  under  a  ser 
vile  yoke.  As  sobn  as  the  country  becomes  settled,  and' 
there  are  no  more  wild  lands,  then  will  the  fetters 
begin  to  press  down  into  the  flesh  of  the  tiller 
of  the  soil.  The  capitalist  will  be  king,  and  the- 
reign  of  Caligula  will  be  mild  compared  to  the  rule 
of  the  land  monopolists.  Already  the  people  can 
scarcely  bear  up  under  the  yoke— but  at  present  it  is 
as  "soft  as  downy  pillows  are,"  compared  to  what  it 
will  be.  See  what  miserable  pig-stys  are  erected  for 
the  renter  to  live  in  on  the  large  farms  to-day  ;  at  the 
same  time  that  the  land  owner  dwells  in  a  fine  man 
sion,  and  stables  nib  horses  in  a  building  that  costs 
ten  dollars  to  where  the  renter's  cabin  costs  ten  cents.. 
And  how  will  it  be  when  there  are  no  more  home 
steads  to  be  taken  V  And  what  will  the  tiller  of  the 
soil  receive  when  he  finds  himself  "bound  hand  and 
foot,"  and  at  the  mercy  of  his  landlord  ?  He  will  be  a 
poor,  miserable,  beggar  slave!  worse  off  than  was 
the  negro  slave  of  the  South,  for  the  master  will  not  be 
bound  to  support  him  in  sickness  and  old  age,  as  was 
the  slave  master  bound  to  support  his  negro  slaves 
while  they  lived.  Land  monopoly  and  the  slave  sys 
tem  belong  together.  They  are  twin  relics  of  barbar 
ism.  The  slave  system  of  the  southern  Confederacy 
was  a  merciful  system  compared  to  that  of  a  few 
owning  all  the  lands,  and  being  free  from  the  obli 
gation  to  feed,  clothe  and  watch  over  their  farm  la 
borers  all  their  lives, 

The  elements,  air,  water  and  land  belong  to  man  by 
an  inalienable  right.  You  migfit  as  well  monopolize 
air  and  water  as  land.  You  might  as  well  buy  and. 
sell  men  as  to  monopolize  the  land.  You  violate  a 


56  APPENDIX. 

natural  right  the  same  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other. 
I  have  a  right  to  life.  I  cannot  live  without  land. 
I  have  a  natural  right  to  liberty.  I  cannot  be  free 
without  land.  I  have  a  natural  right  to  the  pursuit  of 
Jiappiness.  I  cannot  maintain  this  right  without  land. 
Why  argue  this  question,  when  we  have  Ireland  be 
fore  us,  and  Scotland,  yea,  and  even  good  old  Eng 
land  ? 

The  land  monopolist  holds  his  acres  by  the  law  of 
force,  just  as  the  slave-master  held  his  slave,  He  has 
no  right  to  any  more  land  than  is  necessary  to  his  sup 
port.  He  has  a  right  to  a  patch  six  feet  long  and 
three  feet  wide  when  he  is  dead,  for  a  grave,  (unless 
happily  cremation  steps  in,)  and  while  he  lives  he  has 
a  natural  right  to  just  so  much  land  as  when  tilled 
by  his  own  hands  will  supply  his  necessities,  and  no 
more— and  "possession  is  ownership."  It  is  not  his 
when  he  has  abandoned  it.  The  land  by  right  belongs 
to  the  man  that  plows  it,  as  the  air  belongs  to  the  man 
that  breathes  it,  and  the  water  to  the  man  that  drinks 
it.  There  is  land  enough  in  the  United  States  alone, 
suitable  for  tillage,  to  give  every  man  in  the  world 
that  lives  by  tilling  the  soil,  forty  acres.  Why  then 
need  any  American  be  poor  and  want  for  bread  ? 

Eight  miles  north-west  from  the  city  of  Des  Moines 
is  almost  an  entire  township  of  land,  with  scarcely 
a  house  on  it — virgin  prairie  land,  beautiful  and 
rich,  as  is  to  be  found  in  the  world  ;  the  sodias  yet  un 
broken  by  the  plow,  while  the  land  all  around  is  in 
cultivation.  Here  might  be  dwelling  hundreds  (I 
might  almost  say  thousands)  of  happy  families;  but 
a  few  speculators  in  Boston  and  New  York  are  hold 
ing  it  for  a  big  price.  What  grants  of  public  domain 
have  been  given  to  railroad  companies  !  When  the 
government  will  allow  one  man  to  own  thousands  of 
acres  of  land  and  thus  retard  its  settlement,  or  give 
him  control  over  the  liberty  of  his  fellows,  it  is  a  mon 
strous  abuse  ;  but  when  it  grants  millions  of  acres  to 
corporations,  language  fails — words  cannot  express 
the  magnitude  of  the  wrong. 

A  just  government  will  protect  property  and  enforce 
natural  rights.  It  will  not  protect  property  in  man 
but  it  will  enforce  the  natural  right  of  every  man  to 
life,  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  It  will  not 
protect  the  individual  in  the  unjust  privilege  of  own 
ing  more  land  than  is  needful  for  his  support ;  but  it 
will  enforce  the  natural  right  of  every  m  an  to  land 


APPENDIX.  57 

-enough  to  afforl  li'm  ^iV-'stence.  Every  :nanhas  a 
natural  right  to  the  tijld  that  he  tills. 

"Tlie  em'i  i.i  the  Lord's  and  the  fullness  thereof." 
God  has  best  )  wed  this  bountiful  gift  upon  the  children 
of  men  ;  nor  did  he  say  "a  few  may  monopolize  the 
land  ;"  but  bin  voice  of  Truth,  which  is  the  voice  of 
God,  declares  "all  men  are  created  equal,"  all  have 
Dy  nature  the  same  right  to  this  earth  and  its  fullness. 
'The  laws  of  States  and  nations  cannot  abrogate  the 
la\\rs  of  God. 

Two  boys  attend  the  saire  school !  They  are  of 
equal  age,  of  equal  strength,  of  equal  health,  recito 
in  the  same  classes,  are  of  equal  intelligence.  They 
graduate  at  the  same  time,  both  having  the  same 
standing  in  their  classes.  They  go  into  business.  The 
one  uses  as  much  industry  as  the  other,  and  is  as  dili 
gent  in  business,  exercising  as  much  thought  and  jn- 
telligeiice,  and  physical  power.  The  one  makes  per 
haps  five  hundred  dollars  per  day  ;  the  other  not  more 
than  five  dollars  per  day.  Why  the  difference?  The 
question  is  answered  in  one  word — CAPITAL.  The  one 
is  rich  and  has  capital  to  invest.  The  other  is  poor 
and  depends  upon  industry  alone,  This  is  all  legiti 
mate,  but  is  it  right?  What  equality^  is  there  here? 
It  is  le^al  but  not  right.  The  laws  are*  framed  to  help 
i  he  rich.  From  the  feudal  ages  down  to  the  present 
time,  wealth  has  in  reality  dictated  all  the  laws.  They 
bear  hard  upon  labor.  Money  increases  by  its  own 
growth,  so  to  speak.  To  be  sure  gold  buried  in  the 
ground  will  not  increase  ;  but  by  the  laws  and  cus 
toms  of  society,  the  possessor  of  money  may  double 
his  fortune  every  ten  years.  In  the  language  of  Des 
Moines'  greatebt  banker  and  capitalist,*  "  Ten  per  cent 
interest  will  eat  the  world  up."  This  is  a  great  wrong  ; 
for  thus  the  few  gather  the  increasing  wealth  of  the 
State.  I  lay  this  down  as  a  fundamental  truth  ;  THE 

LAW  THAT  ALLOWS  ONE  MAN  TO  RECEIVE  MORE  THAN 
ANOTHER  FOR  THE  SAME  AMOUNT  QF  PHYSICAL  OR 

MENTAL  TOIL,  is  WRONG.  The  times  are  out  of  joint 
when  one  man  can  gather  a  thousand  dollars  as  the 
fruit  of  one  day's  labor  while  another  man  working 
just  as  hard  cannot  make  five  dollars  to  save  his  life.. 
All  wealth  comes  primarily  from  the  ground,  and  is 
brought  forth  by  the  plow.  What  large  cities  are  to 
be  seen  on  the  deserts?  What  habitations  of  men? 
But  go  where  the  soil  is  rich  and  productive  and  you 

*B.  F,  Allen 


58  APPENDIX. 

behold  population  and  cities.  Where  men  have  to  de 
vote  every  moment  of  their  time  to  the  procuring  of 
their  daily  bread,  there  can  be  no  accumulation  of 
wealth.  Where  bread  fails  nothing  etee  has  any  val 
ue.  In  the  heart  of  the  Sahara  desert  Crcesus  starv 
ing  might  vainly  cry  "A  million  of  dollars  for  a  loaf 
of  bread."  If  the  world  were  all  barren,  so  that  men 
could  barely,  by  constant  labor,  procure  food  and. 
clothing,  there  could  be  no  accumulation  of  capi 
tal.  Gold  could  have  no  value  where  tbere  was 
nothing  to  exchange  it  for,  though  one  possessed  as 
much  as  is  in  the  vaults  of  the  bank  of  England. 
Money  represents  surplus  products.  If  there  were 
no  products  of  labor  beyond  what  would  satisfy  the 
immediate  wants  of  the  producers,  money  could  have 
no  value  whatever.  Food  is  first  to  be  looked  after, 
and  the  abundance  or  scarcity  of  food  regulates  the 
price  of  all  other  products  ;  for  one  might  be  in  con- 
ditioB  to  sell  even  his  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage. 
It  takes  nearly  all  the  farmer's  surplus  grain  to  pay 
his  taxes.  Unless  he  is  to  some  extent  a  capitalist, 
unless  he  can  seize  upon  the  profits  of  other  men's  la 
bor,  either  by  holding  them  as  slaves  and  working 
them  on  his  plantations,  as  was  the  case  in  the  South, 
or  else  by  robbing  them  of  their  hard  earnings  after 
the  manner  of  the  English  landlord,  the  farmer  can 
not  become  rich  ;  because  the  soil  has  a  limit  to  its- 
productiveness,  and  there  is  a  limit  to  the  amount  of 
work  one  man  can  do.  No  vote  of  House  or  Senate 
can  make  mother  earth  yield  the  farmer  fifty  thous 
and  dollars  p-er  year  salary,  which  is  equivalent  ta 
fifty  thousand  bushels  of  wheat.  The  average  yield 
of  wheat  per  acre  is  fifteen  bufhels.  It  would  require 
'..  ne  man  to  plow  sow  and  reap  3333%  acreas  of  wheat 
to  yield  fifty  thousand  dollar's  worth  at  the  rate  of 
one  dollar  per  bushel.  God  paysthe  farmer  his  salary 
and  it  is  not  a  large  salary  either.  One  man  can  farm 
with  his  own  individual  labor  not,  more  than  eighty 
seres  of  tillable  land,  even  of  our  beautiful  prairie,, 
and  with  the  aid  of  all  modern  machinery  and  improv 
ed  farm  implements  into  the  bargain.  This  might 
produce  in  wheat  an  average  per  year  of  twelve  hun 
dred  bush  els,  or,  in  corn,  twenty-four  hundred  bush 
els.  So,  about  twelve  hundred  dollars  per  year  is  all 
God  pays  the  farmer  for  his  toil.  "By  the  sweat  of 
thy  face  thou  shalt  eat  bread."  Out  of  this  the  farm 
er  has  to  pay  for  farm  implements  and  machinery, 


APPENDIX.  59 

taxes  for  the  support  of  Government,  purchase  cloth 
ing  and  shoes  for  his  family,  groceries,  etc.  The  per 
diem  of  the  farmer  is  less  than  five  bushels  of  wheat 
or  ten  bushels  of  corn.  The  point  that  I  would  maka 
is  this:  If  any  human  being  grasps  the  price  of  one 
hundred  bushels  of  wheat  for  his  days  labor,  he  vir 
tually  steals  ninety-five  bushels  of  wheat.  If  he 
seizes  upon  only  the  price  of  one  hundred  bushels  of 
corn  for  his  days'  work  he  steals  only  ninety  bushels 
of  corn.  Whoever  on  the  face  of  this  earth,  where 
all  men  are  by  nature  equal,  grasps  more  as  the  price 
of  his  days  labor  than  God  pays  the  industrious  farm 
er,  is  a  theif  and  a  robber  to  that  extent,  and  this  is 
one  great  cause  of  the  inequality  of  conditions  among 
men. 

Since  the  farmer  is  limited  by  the  fiat  of  God,  in  the 
amount  of  his  daily  earnings,  all  men  should  be  lim 
ited  to  like  extent,  by  the  laws  and  customs  of  the 
country.  One  mans  wages  should  be  just  the  same 
as  another's,  and  no  more. 

But  the  rich  capitalist  is  allowed  by  the  laws  to 
skim  all  the  cream  off  the  hard  earnings  of  the  toil 
ing  millions.  Thus  the  laws  allow  a  portion  of  man 
kind  to  seize  upon  what  rightfully  belongs  to  another 
portion  ;  thus  anarchy  reigns,  and  the  rights  of  prop 
erty  are  not  enforced,  guarded  or  protected. 

Does  not  every  man  serve  his  country  that  has  an 
honorable  occupation  ?  Are  not  all  public  servants 
thsfc  labor?  I  say  tnat  every  industrious  citizen  is  as 
much  a  servant  of  the  public  as  is  the  president  of  the 
United  States.  The  farmer  serves  the  state  by  pro 
ducing  what  renders  the  state  habitable.  He  is  a 
more  important  official  than  presidents  or  kings.  Let 
the  conditions  of  society  be  such  that  every  man 
must  follow  so  ne  useful  occupation,  and  let  no  em 
ployment  bring  higher  compensation  than  the  indus 
trious  farmer  receives  from  the  hand  of  God.  Let  an 
equitable  price  for  daily  lsft>or  be  established,  basjed 
upon  the  bounty  of  mother  earth.  When  no  nan 
can  monopolize  more  than  his  just  share  of  earth's 
products*  (all  who  are  alike  industrious  receiving  like 
pay,)  then  all  may  have  ample  leisure  for  mental 
culture  and  social  enjoyment ;  but  under  the  present 
unjust  and  barbarous  system,  the  many  are  robbed  of 
almost  all  privilege  of  culture  and  enjoyment. 

Society  should  be  so  crystalized  that  every  man 
would  occupy  an  important  place  in  it  and  feel  lug. 


60  APPENDIX. 

responsibility  to  the  public  as  if  elected  to  the  office. 
It  is  one  man's  office  to  raise  grain;  another's  to  make 
shoes  for  the  public  ;  another's  to  work  in  iron  ;  an 
other's  to  AY  oik  in  wood-,  etc.;  all  are  officials  doing 
service  for  the  State,  and  should  be  so  recognized,  and 
their  salaries  made  sure  ;  and  when  they  beccme  old 
and  worn  out  in  the  public  service,  they  deserve  to 
draw  a  pension  as  much  as  ary  retired  army  officer. 

That  all  are  public  officials  who  can  deny  ?  Can 
the  state  be  maintained,  and  leave  off  agriculture  and 
the  mechanical  arts?  Are  not  the  men  devoted  to 
these  pursuits,  essential  elements  of  the  common 
wealth?  Yea,  the  essential  elements.  Are  they  not 
as  important  as  soldiers  to  an  army  ?  And  if  the 
State  makes  provision  for  her  soldiers  why  not  for 
her  citizens  devoted  to  her  service,  as  are  the  farm 
ers  and  mechanics  ?  Should  not  the  State  see,  at  least 
that  these  upbuilders  of  all  civilization  are  protected 
in  their  rights,  and  not  plundered  and  robbed  of 
their  rightful  earnings  ?  It  should  watch  over  them 
like  a  parent  from  the  cradle  to  the  grave. 

But  some,  it  is  said,  have  spent  much  time  and  mon 
ey  to  gain  good  education,  and  ought  they  not  receive 
higher  wages  for  their  labor  than  those  who  have  no 
education?  President  Grant  has  prepared  himself 
for  his  high  office  by  much  study  and  [sacrifice:  ought 
he  not  receive  higher  wages  than  the  common  farmer 
that  feeds  a  threshing  machine?  The  thresher 
needs  little  knowledge  of  books,  say  you,  to  fit  him 
for  his  office,  and  why  should  he  expect  as  much  for 
his  time  and  labor  as  General  Grant  ? 

I  would  try  to  answer  this  by  saying  that  accord 
ing  to  our  theory  of  government,  the  State  owes 
every  child  a  good  education.  The  state  is  expected 
to  prepare  its  citizens  for  the  office  of  citizenship  : 
hence  our  free  schools,  universities,  agricultural  col 
leges,  etc.,  supported  at  the  public  charge.  General 
Grant  was  educated  by  the  government  for  the  pro 
fession  of  the  soldier :  another  boy  is  prepared  by  the 
State  in  its  schools  and  colleges,  for  the  office  of  the 
farmer.  The  State  should  not  be  partial,  but  treat 
all  its  children  alike.  If  the  State  has  been  partial  to 
General  Grant,  and  has  given  him  better  opportunities 
of  acquiring  knowledge  than  it  gave  the  poor  farmer 
that  feeds  the  threshing  machine,  must  the  latter  be 
punished  all  his  life  for  the  State's  neglect?  Must 
his  family  be  punished  and  starved  for  the  State's 


APPENDIX.  .  61 

having  made  a  pet  of  one  of  its  children,  and  neg 
lected  another? 

One  man's  children  deserve  education  as  well  as- 
another's,  and  one  man  is  suppposed  to  have  as  great 
burdens  to  bear  as  another.  It  is  the  allotted  por 
tion  of  each  man  to  bring  up  his  family.  iN"o  man 
can  have  any  greater  work  than  this  to  do,  unless  he 
has  the  privilege  of  nursing  his  aged  parents,  or  of 
supporting  his  orphaned  brothers  and  sisters  ;  but  as 
a  rule  one  man's  needs  are  reckoned  as  great  as  the 
needs  of  another,  and  therefore  one  man's  income 
should  bs  equal  to  that  of  another. 

The  primary  object  of  all  human  effort  is  subsis 
tence.  It  is  to  be  presumed  that  it  requires  as  much 
to  subsist  one  as  another,  therefore  the  income  of  each 
should  be  the  same. 

There  is  a  great  struggle  going  on  in  this  country, 
no  less  mighty  and  important  because  silent  and  with 
out  force  of  arms,  The  mouse  that  ate  the  cable  off, 
worked  silently,  but  diligently,  and  the  consequence 
was,  that  wanting  the  cable,  the  ship  was  lost.  Cap 
ital  is  gnawing  otf  the  cable— aye,  it  is  perforating 
the  bottom  of  the  great  Ship  of  State,  as  if  a  million 
of  worms  were  boring  gimlet  holes  through  it,  until 
soon  the  floods  will  come  pouring  in  and  the  ship  'go 
to  the  bottom  of  the  sea  and  there  remain  for  ever 
unless  the  people  awaken  from  their  slumber  of  false 
security  and  betake  themselves  to  work  at  the  pumps 
for  dear  life. 

The  people  begin  to  see  the  danger  that  lies  in  ex 
cessive  wealth  in  the  hands  of  individuals  and  petty 
corporations.  It  appears  to  be  the  rule  that  as  a  man 
increases  his  wealth,  he  loses  his  patriotism,  and 
when  he  becomes  a  millionaire,  he  scruples  not  to  en 
ter  the  halls  of  legislation,  to  turn  by  bribery,  if  pos 
sible  the  representatives  of  the  people  from  the  path 
of  duty.  His  vanity  leads  him  to  suppose  that  by  his 
superior  wisdom  he  has  gptton  all  his  great  fortune,, 
and  that  every  man  that  is  poor,  is  so  because  he  is  a 
practical  fool,  and  that,  therefore,  republican  govern 
ment  is,  after  all  a  farce.  "Let  the  poor  man  be  dis 
franchised"  will  be  the  demand  made  by  the  rich  man 
after  a  while.  Rob  the  people  of  all  their  substance 
first,  and  then  take  from  them  their  only  jneans  of 
protection  against  actual  enslavement — the  ballot. 
Pampered  politicians  will  be  found  ready  to  betray 
the  people,  and  to  connive  at  the  disfranchisement 


APPENDIX.  62 

of  the  toilers,  in  the  cities,  first  and  afterward  in  the 
State  at  large  on  the  ple.a  that  "only  tax  payers  ought 
to  vote." 

The  people  have  about  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
if  rich  men  and  bloated  corporations  are  the  natural 
enemies  to  freedom  and  free  government,  great 
wealth  shall  not  longer  be  allowed  to  concentrate  in 
the  hands  of  individuals  and  petty  corporations,  but 
must  be  poured  into  the  lap  of  the  State  alone.  If 
capital  in  the  hands  of  individuals  and  petty  corpora 
tions  is  in  actual  antagonism  to  human  freedom  and 
equality,  we  must  suppress  the  enemy  at  all  hazards. 
No  man  must  ba  permitted  to  accumulate  a  vast  for 
tune  if  the  danger  lies  here.  The  government  of  the 
people,  by  the  people,  for  the  people  must  be  main 
tained. 

Who  is  to  blame  if  a  revolution  hasten  upon  us? 
Certainly  not  the  laboring  men  and  farmers,  but  only 
unprincipled  capitalists.  It  is  no  fiction,  but  a  notor 
ious  fact,  the  damaging  effects  of  excessive  wealth 
in  the  hands  of  private  parties  and  petty  corporations 
upon  the  country  and  government.  The  corporations 
that  plunder  the  people,  openly  defy  the  laws;  wit 
ness,  for  instance,  the  railroad  war  in  Wisconsin. 

But  one  corporation  should  be  allowed  to  exist,  and 
that  the  State  itself.  All  corporations  are  states,  and 
when  controlled  by  a  few  men  are  continually  mak 
ing  war  upon  the  public  welfare.  They  are  only  le 
galized  "rings,"  licensed  to  defraud  and  plunder  the 
people.  There  is  not  a  single  corporation  in  existence 
except  the  State,  that  is  not  a  scourge  to  the  public. 
Let  us  look  at  the  objects  to  be  accpmpolished  by  a 
petty  corporation,  as  insurance, for  instance.  If  in 
surance  is  a  good  thing,  the  lives,  and  the  property  of 
all  citizens  ought  to  be  insured.  Then  the  State  ought 
to  take  hold  of  it.  It  was  so  of  old,  that  if  the  cabin 
of  the  back- woodsman  was  burned,  and  his  rude  fur 
niture  and  household  goods  destroyed,  the  neighbors 
came  together  and  built  him  a  new  cabin — a  better 
one,  perhaps,  than  the  first,  and  fitted  it  up  again  so 
that  the  settler's  latter  estate  was,  as  a  general  rule 
better  than  his  former.  fHere  was  practical  insur 
ance.  So  the  people  as  a  body  should  make  good  the 
loss  of  individuals.  The  State  might  insure  every 
man's  life,  and  every  man'.s  property,  and  it  be  little 
heavier  tax  upon  the  public,  than  the  insurance  com 
panies  levy  at  present.  See  the  millions  (almost)  of 


APPENDIX.  63 

useless  men  supported  by  the  public,  as  insurance 
agents  and  officers.  The  State  should  see  to  this  mag 
nificent  charity,  and  not  leave  it  to  private  companies 
for  the  "charity"  of  petty  corporations  is  only  to 
plunder  the  public,  and  enrich  themselves.  Let  the 
office  of  every  corporation  (if  it  be  a  good  office)  be  as 
sumed  by  the  great  corporation — the  State— which  is 
responsible  directly  to  the  people  ;  and  let  no  man  be 
permitted  to  become  so  rich  as  to  be  independent  of 
tftie  people — so  rich  that  he  can  spend  millions  to  Cor 
rupt  legislation  ;  for  then  he  is  a  petty  sovereign,  and 
3,  practical  enemy  to  American  ireedom. 

These  reforms  must  come,  because  man  is  destined 
to  rise  to  a  higher  plane  of  civilization,  and  with  true 
civilization  comes  the  realization  of  the  highest 
Christianity.  The  people  are  struggling  toward 
emancipation  from  the  thraldom  of  short-sighted 
selfishness.  We  read  of  attempts  at  co-operative 
farming,  co-operative  factories,  etc.  This  means  a 
willingness  that  others  should  be  as  well  off  as  our- 
self — a  willingness  to  be  equal  with  our  neighbor,  and 
not  above  him.  And  then  the  Trades  Unions,  and  the 
Grange  organizations  are  educating  the  people  up  to 
a  higher  and  truer  love  and  brotherhood  that  will  be 
come  general.  Societies  and  lodges  will  be  merged 
into  the  great  society— the  State— of  which  all  are 
members,  and  brethren :  a  society  of  mutual  helpful 
ness,  of  mutual  benefits,  of  mutual  love  and  good 
will,  wherein  my  neighbor's  child  will  be  as  dear  to 
me  as  my  own ;  and  every  child  will  be  blessed  in  my 
eyes ;  and  every  helpless  creature  shall  have  a  lodge 
ment  in  my  heart  of  hearts  ;  and  my  love  shall  be  so 
intense  as  to  shine  brightly  upon  all  the  little  ones  of 
curt!:,  ii"'1  upon  °.l!  *.v'i?  r?i0^  ".~  tV.??v  h-in'ls  for 
help— then  will  each  man  be  indeed  a  very  Christ  of 
love,  radiant  with  the  spirit  of  the  Divine  Teacher. 


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LIBRARY,  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA,  DAVIS 

Book  Slip-70m-9,'65(F7151s4)458 


N°  413792 


PS1139 

|  Brown,  L.  B6 

Iowa  the  promised      16 
of  the  prophets. 


LIBRARY 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 
DAVIS 


